DUKE 

UNIVERSITY 


LIBRARY 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/childlifeincolon01earl 


John  Quincy 


Frontispiece 


CHILD-LIFE 

IN-COLONIAL-DAYS 


Written  by  ALICE  MORSE  EARLE 
author  of  Home  Life  in  Colonial  Days 
and  other  Domestic  and  Social 
Histories  of  Olden  Times 
With  many  Illustrations 
from  Photographs 
MDCCCXCIX 


Ni 

A 


New  York 

The  Macmillan  Company 

London  : Macmillan  & Co.,  Ltd. 
1915 


All  rights  reserved 


Copyright,  1899, 

By  THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY. 


Set  up  and  electrotyped  November,  1899.  Reprinted  December, 
1899;  March,  1904;  February,  1909  ; March,  1915. 


Norwood  Press 

y.  S.  Cushing  & Co.  — Berwick  & Smith 
Norwood , Mass. , U.  S.  A. 


?/?r~ 

<£V.3d 


T/-/A9  500^ 

/AAS  BEEN  WRITTEN 
IN  TENDER  MEMORY 
OF  A 

DEARLY  LOVED  AND  LOVING  CHILD 
HENRY  EARLE , JUNIOR 

MD  C C CLXXX-MD  CCCX  Cl  I 


Foreword 


viii 

The  accounts  of  oldtime  child  life  gathered  for  this 
book  are  wholly  unconscious  and  full  of  honesty  and 
simplicity , not  only  from  the  attitude  of  the  child,  but 
from  that  of  his  parents,  guardians,  and  friends.  The 
records  have  been  ?nade  from  affectionate  interest,  not 
from  scientific  interest ; no  profound  search  has  been 
made  for  motives  or  significance , but  the  proof  they  give 
of  tenderness  and  affection  in  the  family  are  beautiful 
to  read  and  to  know. 

The  quotations  from  manuscript  letters,  records, 
diaries,  and  accounts  which  are  here  given  could  only 
have  been  acquired  by  precisely  the  method  which  has 
been  followed,  — a constant  and  distinct  search  for 
many  years,  combined  with  an  alert  watchfulness  for 
items  or  even  hints  relating  to  the  subject,  during  as 
many  years  of  extended  historical  reading.  Many  pri- 
vate collections  and  many  single-treasured  relics  have 
been  freely  offered  for  use,  and  nearly  all  the  sentences 
and  pages  selected  from  these  sources  now  appear  in 
print  for  the  first  time.  The  portraits  of  children 
form  a group  as  rare  as  it  is  beautiful.  They  are 
specially  valuable  as  a study  of  costume.  Nearly  all 
of  these  also  are  as  true  emblems  of  the  generous  friend- 
ship of  the  present  owners  as  they  are  of  the  life  of  the 
past.  The  rich  stores  of  our  many  historical  associa- 
tions, of  the  Essex  Institute , the  American  Antiquarian 
Society,  the  Tong  Island  Historical  Society,  the  Deer- 
field 


Foreword 


IX 


field  Memorial  Hall , the  Lenox  Library , have  been 
generously  opened , carefully  gleaned , and  freely  used. 
The  expression  of  gratitude  so  often  tendered  to  these 
helpful  kinsfolk  and  friends  and  to  these  bountiful 
societies  and  libraries  can  scarcely  be  emphasized  by 
any  public  thanks , yet  it  would  seem  that  for  such 
assistance  thanks  could  never  be  offered  too  frequently , 
nor  too  publicly. 

Nor  have  I,  in  gathering  for  this,  — as  for  my  other 
books,  — failed  to  exercise  what  Emerson  calls  “ the 
catlike  love  of  garrets,  presses,  and  cornchambers,  and 
of  the  conveniences  of  long  housekeeping."  Many  long- 
kept  homes  have  I searched , many  an  old  garret  and 
press  has  yielded  conveniences  for  this  book. 

Though  this  is  a record  of  the  life  of  children  in  the 
American  colonies , I have  freely  compared  the  con- 
ditions in  this  country  with  similar  ones  in  England  at 
the  same  date , both  for  the  sake  of  fuller  elucidation, 
and  also  to  attempt  to  put  on  a proper  basis  the  civili- 
zation which  the  colonists  left  behind  them.  Many 
statements  of  conditions  in  America  do  not  convey  cor- 
rect ideas  of  our  past  comfort  and  present  and  liberal 
progress  unless  we  compare  them  with  facts  in  English 
life.  We  must  not  overrate  seventeenth  and  eighteenth 
century  life  in  England,  either  in  private  or  public. 
England  was  not  a first-class  power  among  nations  till 
the  time  of  the  Treaty  of  Paris,  in  ip6j.  When  our 

colonies 


Contents 


Page 


I. 

Babyhood  .... 

I 

II. 

Children’s  Dress  . 

34 

Schools  and  School  Life  . 

63 

"Viv. 

Women  Teachers  and  Girl  Scholars 

90 

( 

Hornbook  and  Primer 

1 17 

VIs 

School-books 

133 

VII. 

Penmanship  and  Letters  . 

150 

‘■'VIII.- 

Diaries  and  Commonplace  Books 

1 63 

*HXC 

Childish  Precocity 

176 

v x. 

Oldtime  Discipline 

•9 1 

xi\ 

Manners  and  Courtesy  . 

2 1 1 

‘"Xu/ 

Religious  Thought  and  Training 

-227' 

XIII. 

Religious  Books 

248 

XIV. 

Story  and  Picture  Books  . 

264 

*■"  XV. 

Children’s  Diligence 

3°5 

XVI. 

Needlecraft  and  Decorative  Arts 

321 

/"XVII. 

Games  and  Pastimes 

342 

XVIII. 

Children’s  Toys  . 

361 

XIX. 

Flower  Lore  of  Children 

377 

xiii 


List  of  Illustrations 


John  Ouincy,  One  Year  and  a Half  Old,  1690.  Owned 

by  Hon.  Charles  Francis  Adams,  Boston,  Mass.  Frontispiece 

Page 


Miniature,  Governor  Edward  Winslow,  Six  Years  Old, 

1602.  Owned  by  Rev.  Dr.  William  Copley  Wins- 
low, Boston,  Mass.  .....  facing  4 

Mayflower  Cradle,  1620.  In  Pilgrim  Hall,  Plymouth,  Mass.  10 

Townes  Cradle.  In  Essex  Institute,  Salem,  Mass.  . . 14 

Old  Pincushion.  Owned  by  Mrs.  Sophia  C.  Bedlow, 

Portland,  Maine  . . . . . . .19 

Indian  Cradle.  In  Memorial  Hall,  Deerfield,  Mass.  . . 20 

Governor  Bradford’s  Christening  Blanket,  1590.  Owned 

by  John  Taylor  Terry,  Esq.,  Tarrytown,  N.Y.  . 22 

Standing  Stool,  Eighteenth  Century  ....  24 

Go-cart  .........  27 

De  Peyster  Twins,  Four  Years  Old,  1729.  Owned  by 

Mrs.  Azoy  and  Miss  Velasquez  . . . facing  26 

Baptismal  Shirt  and  Mittens  of  Governor  Bradford,  1590. 

In  Essex  Institute,  Salem,  Mass.  . . . .35 


Robert  Gibbs,  Four  and  a Half  Years  Old,  1670.  Owned 

by  Miss  Sarah  Bigelow  Hagar,  Kendal  Green,  Mass,  facing  36 
Infant’s  Mitts,  Sixteenth  Century.  In  Essex  Institute  . 39 

Jane  Bonner,  Eight  Years  Old,  1700.  Owned  by  Con- 
necticut Historical  Society  ....  facing  42 
Infant’s  Robe,  Cap,  and  Christening  Blanket.  In  Memorial 

Hall,  Deerfield,  Mass.  .....  46 


XV 


XVI 


List  of  Illustrations 


Page 

Ellinor  Cordes,  Two  Years  Old,  1740.  Owned  by  Mrs. 

St.  Julian  Ravenel,  Charleston,  S.  C.  . . facing  48 

Daniel  Ravenel,  Five  Years  Old,  1765.  Owned  by  Mrs. 

St.  Julian  Ravenel,  Charleston,  S.  C.  . . facbig  50 

Children’s  Shoes.  In  Bedford  Historical  Society,  Bedford, 

Mass.  . . . . . . . .51 

Gore  Children,  1754.  Painted  by  Copley.  Owned  by  the 

Misses  Robins,  Boston,  Mass.  . . . facing  54 

Jonathan  Mountfort,  Seven  Years  Old,  1753.  Paintpd  by 

Copley.  Owned  by  Mrs.  Farlin,  Detroit,  Mich,  facing  58 
Boy’s  Suit  of  Clothing,  1784.  In  Memorial  Hall,  Deer- 
field, Mass.  ......  facing  60 

Mary  Lord,'  1710  circa.  Owned  by  Connecticut  Historical 

Society.  .......  facing  66 

11  Erudition  ” Schoolhouse,  Bath,  Maine,  1797  . . 70 

Oldtime  School  Certificate  of  Landlord  of  Wayside  Inn, 

Sudbury,  Mass.  . . . . . . .7  3 

“ Old  Harmony  ” Schoolhouse,  Raritan  Township,  Hun- 
terdon County,  N.  J.  . . . . . .76 

Samuel  Pemberton,  Twelve  Years  Old,  1736.  Owned  by 

Miss  Ellen  M.  Ward,  Boston,  Mass.  . . facing  78 

Nathan  Hale  Schoolhouse,  East  Haddam,  Conn.  . . 82 

Old  Brick  Schoolhouse,  Norwich,  Conn.  From  “ Old 

Houses  of  Norwich,”  by  Miss  Mary  E.  Perkins  . 85 

Elizabeth  Storer,  Twelve  Years  Old,  1738.  Painted  by 

Smibert.  Ownedby  Dr. Townsend,  Boston,  Mass,  facing  98 
Carved  Busks.  Owned  by  Essex  Institute  . . .106 

“Dorothy  O.”  “Thirteen  Summers,”  1720  circa. 
Owned  by  Judge  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes,  Boston, 

Mass.  .......  facing  108 


List  of  Illustrations 


XVII 


Elizabeth  Ouincy  Wendell,  1720  circa.  Owned  by  Dr. 

Josiah  L.  Hale,  Brookline,  Mass.  . . . facing 

Hornbook.  Owned  by  Mrs.  Anne  Robinson  Minturn, 
Shoreham,  Vt.  . . . . . facing 

Hornbook.  Owned  by  Miss  Grace  L.  Gordon,  Flush- 
ing, L.  I 

Back  of  Hornbook.  Owned  by  Miss  Grace  L.  Gordon 


Page 


I 18 


I23 
I 24 
I 26 
1 27 
l3° 
'34 


“ The  Royal  Battledore”  .....  facing 

“My  New  Batdedore  ” .....  facing 

Reading-board,  Erasmus  Hall,  Flatbush,  L.  I.  . 

Page  of  New  England  Primer  ..... 

“The  Grammarian’s  Funeral  ” . 

“ Readingmadeasy  ” ...... 

Page  from  Abraham  Lincoln’s  Sum  Book 
Battledore,  “ Lessons  in  Numbers  ” 

Title-page  of  “ Cocker’s  Arithmetic  ” 

“American  Selection,”  by  Noah  Webster,  Jr. 

“ The  Little  Reader’s  Assistant,”  bv  Noah  Webster,  Jr. 

Exhibition  “Piece”  of  Anne  Reynolds  . 

Ornamental  Letter  ...... 

Writing  of  Abiah  Holbrook  ..... 

David  Waite,  Seven  Years  Old.  Owned  bv  Professor  Lang- 
ley, Washington,  D.C.  . . . . facing 

Page  of  “ White  ” Bible  .....  facing 

Anna  Green  Winslow.  Owned  by  Miss  Elizabeth  Trott, 

Niagara  Falls,  N.Y.  . . . . . facing  164 

Pages  from  Diary  of  Mary  Osgood  Sumner.  Owned  by 

Dr.  P.  H.  Mell,  Auburn,  Ala.  . . . facing  166 

Joshua  Carter,  Four  Years  Old.  Painted  by  Charles  Wilson 
Peale.  Owned  by  Miss  Anna  Thaxter  Reynolds, 
Boston,  Mass.  ......  facing  1 70 


facing 
facing  1 3 6 

138 

1 40 
1 40 
1 42 

1 44 
i52 
154 
1 54 

1 58 
162 


facing 

facing 

facing 

facing 

facing 

facing 


xviii  List  of  Illustrations 

Page 

Page  from  Diary  of  Anna  Green  Winslow  . . .174 

Samuel  Torrey,  Twelve  Years  Old,  1770.  Owned  by 

Miss  Frances  R.  Morse,  Boston,  Mass.  . . facing  176 

The  Copley  Family  ......  facing  1 80 

Facsimile  from  Sir  Hugh  Plat’s  “Jewel  House  of  Art  and 

Nature,”  1653  .......  183 

Polly  Flagg,  One  Year  Old,  1751.  Painted  by  Smibert. 

Owned  by  Mrs.  Albert  Thorndike,  Boston,  Mass,  facing  1 84 
James  Flagg,  Five  Years  Old,  1744.  Painted  by  Smibert. 

Owned  by  Mrs.  Albert  Thorndike,  Boston,  Mass,  facing  1 88 
Katherine  Ten  Broeck,  Four  Years  Old,  1719.  Owned 

by  Miss  Louise  Livingstone  Smith,  Argyle,  N.Y.  facing  192 
Illustration  from  “ Plain  Things  for  Little  Folks”  . . 195 

Whispering  Sticks  . . . . . . ,198 

Illustration  from  “Early  Seeds  to  produce  Spring  Flowers”  201 
Cathalina  Post,  Fourteen  Years  Old,  1750.  Owned  by 

Dr.  Van  Santvoord,  Kingston,  N.Y.  . . facing  204 

Illustration  from  “ Young  Wilfrid  ” . . . facing  206 

William  Verstile,  1769.  Painted  by  Copley.  Owned  by 

Mrs.  Charles  Pinney,  Derby,  Conn.  . . facing  210 

The  Peppered  Children.  Owned  by  Miss  Alice  Longfellow, 

Cambridge,  Mass.  .....  facing  214 

Title-page  of  the  “ School  of  Manners  ” . . .216 

Page  of  the  ‘ ‘ School  of  Manners  ” . . . .218 

Thomas  Aston  Coffin,  Three  Years  Old.  Painted  by  Cop- 
ley. Owned  by  heirs  of  Miss  Anne  S.  Robbins, 
Boston,  Mass.  ......  facing  222 

Mrs.  John  Hesselius  and  her  Children,  John  and  Caroline. 
Painted  by  John  Hesselius.  Owned  by  Mrs.  Ridgeley, 
Baltimore,  Md.  ......  facing  228 


List  of  Illustrations 


xix 


Page 

Charlotte  and  Elizabeth  Hesselius.  Painted  by  John  Hes- 

selius.  Owned  by  Mrs.  Ridgeley,  Baltimore,  Md.  facing  234 
Charles  Spooner  Cary,  Eight  Years  Old,  1786.  Owned 

by  Mrs.  Edward  Cunningham,  East  Milton,  Mass,  facing  240 
Margaret  Graves  Cary,  Fourteen  Years  Old,  1 786.  Owned 

by  Mrs.  Edward  Cunningham,  East  Milton,  Mass,  facing  246 
The  Custis  Children,  1760  circa.  Owned  by  General 

Custis  Lee,  Lexington,  Va.  ....  facing  250 
“ The  Holy  Bible  Abridged.”  Owned  by  American  Anti- 
quarian Society,  Worcester,  Mass.  . . . facing  254 

Illustration  from  “Original  Poetry  for  Young  Minds”  . 256 

Page  of  “ Hieroglyphick  Bible.”  Owned  by  American  Anti- 
quarian Society,  Worcester,  Mass.  . . . .259 

Title-page  of  “ Merry  Tales  of  the  Wise  Men  of  Gotham  ” 266 

Page  of  “ Merry  Tales  of  the  Wise  Men  of  Gotham  ” . 267 

“ The  Renowned  History  of  Goody  Two  Shoes”  . facing  270 
Title-page  of  “ A New  Lottery  Book  ” ....  274 

Two  Pages  of  “A  New  Lottery  Book”  . . . 276 

Frontispiece  of  “Be  Merry  and  Wise.”  Owned  by 

American  Antiquarian  Society,  Worcester,  Mass.  . 278 

Title-page  of  “ Be  Merry  and  Wise.”  Owned  by  Ameri- 
can Antiquarian  Society,  Worcester,  Mass.  . . 282 

Page  of  “ Cobwebs  to  catch  Flies  ” . . . .284 

Woodcut  by  Bewick.  “ William  and  Amelia.”  From 

“The  Looking  Glass  for  the  Mind”  . . . 286 

Woodcut  by  Bewick.  “ Caroline,  or  A Lesson  to  cure 

Vanity.”  From  “The  Looking  Glass  for  the  Mind”  289 
Woodcut  by  Bewick.  “ Sir  John  Denham  and  his  Worthy 

Tenant.”  From  “ The  Looking  Glass  for  the  Mind  ” 291 

W oodcut  by  Bewick.  “ Clarissa,  or  The  Grateful  Orphan.” 

From  “The  Looking  Glass  for  the  Mind”  . . 294 


XX 


List  ol  Illustrations 


Page 

Page  from  “ The  Juvenile  Biographer  ” ....  296 

“ The  Juvenile  Biographer”  ....  facing  298 

Two  Pages  of '‘The  Father’s  Gift”  . . . facing  300 

Page  of  "Vice  in  its  Proper  Shape.”  Owned  by  American 

Antiquarian  Society,  Worcester,  Mass.  . . . 302 

“The  Good  Girl  at  her  Wheel”  .....  307 

Illustration  from  “Plain  Things  for  Little  Folks  ” . . 309 

Anne  Lennod’s  Sampler  . . . . . . 313 

Colonel  Wadsworth  and  his  Son.  Painted  by  Trumbull. 

Owned  by  Wadsworth  Atheneum,  Hartford,  Conn,  ficitig  3 1 6 
Jerusha  Pitkin’s  Embroidery  and  Frame.  1751-  Copy- 
righted. Owned  by  Mrs.  William  Lee,  Boston,  Mass.  324 
Lora  Standish’s  Sampler.  In  Pilgrim  Hall,  Plymouth, 

Mass.  . . . . . . . .327 

Fleetwood-Quincy  Sampler.  Owned  by  Mrs.  Swan, 

Cambridge,  Mass.  . . . . . .330 

Polly  Coggeshall’s  Sampler.  Owned  by  Miss  Julia  Hazard 

Thomas,  Flushing,  L.  I.  . . . . .334 

Flowered  Apron,  1750  circa.  Owned  by  Mrs.  Swan, 

Cambridge,  Mass.  . . . . . .336 

Mary  Richard’s  Sampler.  Owned  by  Miss  Elizabeth  Wen- 
dell van  Rensselaer  . . . . . .33 7 

Ancient  Lace  Pillow,  Reels,  and  Pockets.  In  Essex  In- 
stitute, Salem,  Mass.  . . . . . .340 

“Scotch  Hoppers”  from  “Juvenile  Games  for  the  Four 

Seasons”  ........  345 

Ancient  Skates.  In  Deerfield  Memorial  Hall  . . facing  346 

“Skating.”  From  Old  Picture  Book  ....  349 

Cornelius  D.  Wvnkoop,  Eight  Years  Old,  1742.  Owned 

by  James  D.  Wynkoop,  Esq.,  Hurley,  N.Y.  . facing  352 
Page  from  “Youthful  Sports”  . , . . *3  55 


List  of  Illustrations 


xxi 


Stephen  Row  Bradley,  1800  circa.  Owned  by  Arthur  C. 

Bradley,  Esq.,  Newport,  N.  H.  . . facing 

Dolls’  Furniture.  One  Hundred  Years  Old.  In  Bedford 
Historical  Society  ...... 

Ancient  Doll  ........ 

Old  Rag  Doll.  In  Bedford  Historical  Society . 

“ French  Doll.”  In  Essex  Institute,  Salem,  Mass. 

“ French  Doll.”  In  Essex  Institute,  Salem,  Mass. 

Dolls  and  Furniture.  Owned  by  Bedford  Historical  Societv 
Chinese  Coach  and  Horses.  In  Essex  Institute,  Salem,  Mass. 
Old  Jaekknives.  In  Deerfield  Memorial  Hall  . 

“ Bangwell  Putt.”  In  Deerfield  Memorial  Hall  . facing 
White  House  Doll.  Owned  by  Mrs.  Clement,  Newbury- 
port.  Mass.  ....... 

Ancient  Tin  Toy  ....... 

Doll’s  Wicker  Coach  ....... 

Stella  Bradley  Bellows,  1800  circa.  Owned  by  Arthur  C. 

Bradley,  Esq.,  Newport,  N.  H.  . . facing 

Daisy  Chain  ........ 

Playing  Marbles  ....... 

Spanish  Dolls.  In  Essex  Institute,  Salem,  Mass. 

Leaf  Boats.  Made  from  Leaves  of  Flower  de  Luce  . 


Page 

356 

3 59 

362 

363 

36+ 

367 

368 

369 

370 

370 

372 

373 

374 

378 

381 

385 

389 

395 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


CHAPTER  I 

BABYHOOD 

Some  things  are  of  that  nature  as  to  make 
One' s fancy  chuckle,  while  his  heart  doth  ache. 

— The  Author's  Way  of  Sending  Forth  His  Second  Part  of  the 
Pilgrim.  John  Bunyan , 1684.. 

THERE  is  something  inexpressibly  sad  in 
the  thought  of  the  children  who  crossed  the 
ocean  with  the  Pilgrims  and  the  fathers  of 
Jamestown,  New  Amsterdam,  and  Boston,  and  the 
infancy  of  those  born  in  the  first  years  of  colonial 
life  in  this  strange  new  world.  It  was  hard  for 
grown  folk  to  live ; conditions  and  surroundings 
offered  even  to  strong  men  constant  and  many 
obstacles  to  the  continuance  of  existence ; how  diffi- 
cult was  it  then  to  rear  children  ! 

In  the  southern  colonies  the  planters  found  a 
climate  and  enforced  modes  of  life  widely  varying 
from  home  life  in  England ; it  took  several  genera- 
tions to  accustom  infants  to  thrive  under  those  con- 
B 1 ditions. 


2 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


ditions.  The  first  years  of  life  at  Plymouth  are  the 
records  of  a bitter  struggle,  not  for  comfort  but  for 
existence.  Scarcely  less  sad  are  the  pages  of  Gov- 
ernor Winthrop’s  journal,  which  tell  of  the  settlers 
of  Massachusetts  Bay.  On  the  journey  across  seas 
not  a child  “had  shown  fear  or  dismayedness.” 
Those  brave  children  were  welcomed  to  the  shore 
with  good  cheer,  says  the  old  chronicler,  Joshua 
Scottow ; “ with  external  flavor  and  sweet  odor ; 
fragrant  was  the  land,  such  was  the  plenty  of  sweet 
fern,  laurel,  and  other  fragrant  simples ; such  was 
the  scent  of  our  aromatic  and  balsam-bearing  pines, 
spruces  and  larch  trees,  with  our  tall  cedars.”  They 
landed  on  a beautiful  day  in  June,  “ with  a smell  on 
the  shore  like  the  smell  of' a garden,”  and  these 
happy  children  had  gathered  sweet  wild  strawberries 
and  single  wild  roses.  It  is  easy  to  picture  the  merry 
faces  and  cheerful  laughter. 

Scant,  alas  ! were  the  succeeding  days  of  either 
sweetness  or  light.  The  summer  wore  on  in  weary 
work,  in  which  the  children  had  to  join;  in  con- 
stant fears,  which  the  children  multiplied  and  mag- 
nified ; and  winter  came,  and  death.  “ There  is  not 
a house  where  there  is  not  one  dead,”  wrote  Dudley. 
One  little  earth-weary  traveller,  a child  whose  “fam- 
ily and  kindred  had  dyed  so  many,”  was,  like  the 
prophets  in  the  Bible,  given  exalted  vision  through 

sorrow. 


Babyhood 


3 


sorrow,  and  had  c<  extraordinary  evidence  concerning 
the  things  of  another  world.”  Fierce  east  winds 
searched  the  settlers  through  and  through,  and  frosts 
and  snows  chilled  them.  The  dreary  ocean,  the 
gloomy  forests,  were  their  bounds.  Scant  was  their 
fare,  and  mean  their  roof-trees  ; yet  amid  all  the  want 
and  cold  little  children  were  born  and  welcomed 
with  that  ideality  of  affection  which  seems  as  im- 
mortal as  the  souls  of  the  loved  ones. 

Hunger  and  privation  did  not  last  long  in  the 
Massachusetts  colony,  for  it  was  a rich  community 
— for  its  day  — and  soon  the  various  settlements 
grew  in  numbers  and  commerce  and  wealth,  and  an 
exultant  note  runs  through  their  records.  Pros- 
perous peoples  will  not  be  morose;  thanksgiving 
proclamations  reflect  the  rosy  hues  of  successful 
years.  Child  life  was  in  harmony  with  its  sur- 
roundings ; it  was  more  cheerful,  but  there  was  still 
fearful  menace  to  the  life  and  health  of  an  infant. 
From  the  moment  when  the  baby  opened  his  eyes 
on  the  bleak  world  around  him,  he  had  a Spartan 
struggle  for  life ; half  the  Puritan  children  had 
scarce  drawn  breath  in  this  vale  of  tears  ere  they  had 
to  endure  an  ordeal  which  might  well  have  given  rise 
to  the  expression  “ the  survival  of  the  fittest.”  I say 
half  the  babies,  presuming  that  half  were  born  in 
warm  weather,  half  in  cold.  All  had  to  be  baptized 

within 


4 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


within  a few  days  of  birth,  and  baptized  in  the  meet- 
ing-house ; fortunate,  indeed,  was  the  child  of  mid- 
summer. We  can  imagine  the  January  babe  carried 
through  the  narrow  streets  or  lanes  to  the  freezing 
meeting-house,  which  had  grown  damper  and  dead- 
lier with  every  wintry  blast  ; there  to  be  christened, 
when  sometimes  the  ice  had  to  be  broken  in 
the  christening  bowl.  On  January  22,  1694,  Judge 
Samuel  Sewall,  of  Boston,  records  in  his  diary:  — 

“A  very  extraordinary  Storm  by  reason  of  the  falling  and 
driving  of  Snow.  Few  women  could  get  to  Meeting.  A 
Child  named  Alexander  was  baptized  in  the  afternoon.” 

The  Judge  tells  of  his  own  children  — four  days 
old  — shrinking  from  the  icy  water,  but  crying  not. 
It  was  a cold  and  disheartening  reception  these  chil- 
dren had  into  the  Puritan  church  ; many  lingered 
but  a short  time  therein.  The  mortality  among 
infants  was  appallingly  great ; they  died  singly,  and 
in  little  groups,  and  in  vast  companies.  Putrid 
fevers,  epidemic  influenzas,  malignant  sore  throats, 
“ bladders  in  the  windpipe,”  raging  small  pox, 
carried  off  hundreds  of  the  children  who  survived 
baptism.  The  laws  of  sanitation  were  absolutely 
disregarded — because  unknown;  drainage  there  was 
none  — nor  deemed  necessary ; disinfection  was 
feebly  desired  — but  the  scanty  sprinkling  of  vine- 

gar 


Edward  Winslow 


Babyhood 


5 


gar  was  the  only  expression  of  that  desire  ; isola- 
tion of  contagious  diseases  was  proclaimed  — but 
the  measures  were  as  futile  when  the  disease  was 
known  to  be  contagious  as  they  were  lacking  in  the 
diseases  which  our  fathers  did  not  know  were  com- 
municable. It  is  appalling  to  think  what  must  have 
been  the  unbounded  production  and  nurture  of 
disease  germs  ; and  we  can  paraphrase  with  truth 
the  words  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne,  and  say  of  our 
grandfathers  and  their  children,  “ Considering  the 
thousand  roads  that  lead  to  death,  I do  thank  my 
God  they  could  die  but  once.” 

It  is  heartrending  to  read  the  entries  in  many  an 
old  family  Bible  — the  records  of  suffering,  distress, 
and  blasted  hopes.  Until  this  century  these  sad 
stories  may  be  found.  There  lies  open  before  me  an 
old  leather-bound  Bible  with  the  record  of  my  great- 
grandfather’s family.  He  had  sixteen  children. 
When  the  first  child  was  a year  and  a half  old  the 
second  child  was  born.  The  baby  was  but  four  days 
old  when  the  older  child  died.  Five  times  did  that 
mother’s  heart  bear  a similar  cruel  loss  when  she  had 
a baby  in  her  arms  ; therefore  when  she  had  been 
nine  years  married  she  had  one  living  child,  and  five 
little  graves  bore  record  of  her  sorrow. 

In  the  seventeenth  century  the  science  of  medicine 
had  not  wholly  cut  asunder  from  astrology  and  nec- 
romancy ; 


6 


Child  Lite  in  Colonial  Days 

romancy;  and  the  trusting  Christian  still  believed 
in  some  occult  influences,  chiefly  planetary,  which 
governed  not  only  his  crops  but  his  health  and  life. 
Hence  the  entries  of  births  in  the  Bible  usually 
gave  the  hour  and  minute,  as  well  as  the  day,  month, 
and  year.  Thus  could  be  accurately  calculated  what 
favoring  or  mischief-bearing  planets  were  in  ascen- 
dency at  the  time  of  the  child’s  birth  ; what  influ- 
ences he  would  have  to  encounter  in  life. 

The  belief  that  meteorological  and  astrological 
conditions  affected  medicines  was  strong  in  all  minds. 
The  best  physicians  gravely  noted  the  condition  of 
the  moon  when  gathering  herbs  and  simples  and 
concocting  medicines;  and  certain  drugs  were  held 
to  be  powerless  at  certain  times  of  the  year,  owing 
to  planetary  influences.  “ Sympathetical  ” medi- 
cines were  confidingly  trusted,  and  tried  to  a sur- 
prising extent  upon  children;  apparently  these  were 
as  beneficial  as  our  modern  method  of  healing  by 
the  insinuation  of  improved  health. 

We  cannot  wonder  that  children  died  when  we 
know  the  nostrums  with  which  they  were  dosed. 
There  were  quack  medicines  which  held  sway  for  a 
century  — among  them,  a valuable  property,  Daffy's 
Elixir.  These  patented  — or  rather  secret  — medi- 
cines had  a formidable  rival  in  snail-water,  which 
was  used  as  a tonic  and  also  a lotion.  Many  of  the 

ingredients 


Babyhood  7 

ingredients  and  extracts  used  in  domestic  medicines 
were  incredibly  revolting. 

Venice  treacle  was  a nasty  and  popular  com- 
pound, traditionally  invented  by  Nero’s  physician  ; 
it  was  made  of  vipers,  white  wine,  opium,  “ spices 
from  both  the  Indies,”  licorice,  red  roses,  tops  of 
germander  and  St.-John’s-wort,  and  some  twenty 
other  herbs,  juice  of  rough  sloes,  mixed  with  honey 
“ triple  the  weight  of  all  the  dry  spices.”  The 
recipe  is  published  in  dispensatories  till  within  this 
century.  The  vipers  had  to  be  put,  “ twelve  ot 
’em,”  into  white  wine  alone.  Mithridate,  the  an- 
cient cure-all  of  King  Mithridates,  was  another  dose 
for  children.  There  were  forty-five  ingredients  in 
this,  each  prepared  and  introduced  with  care. 
Rubila,  made  chiefly  of  antimony  and  nitre,  was 
beloved  of  the  Winthrops,  and  frequently  dispensed 
by  them  — and  with  benefit. 

Children  were  grievously  afflicted  with  rickets, 
though  curiously  enough  it  was  a new  disease,  not 
old  enough  to  have  received  adequate  observation 
in  England,  wrote  Sir  Thomas  Browne  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  seventeenth  century.  Snails  furnished 
many  doses  for  the  rickets. 

Exact  instruction  of  treatment  for  the  rickets  is 
given  in  a manuscript  letter  written  to  Rev.  Joseph 
Perry  of  Windsor,  Connecticut,  in  1769  : — 


“ Rev’d 


8 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


“ Rev’d  Sir  : 

“ In  ye  Rickets  the  best  Corrective  I have  ever 
found  is  a Syrup  made  of  Black  Cherrys.  Thus.  Take 
of  Cherrys  (dry’d  ones  are  as  good  as  any)  & put  them 
into  a vessel  with  water.  Set  ye  vessel  near  ye  fire  and 
let  ye  water  be  Scalding  hot.  Then  take  ye  Cherrys  into 
a thin  Cloth  and  squeeze  them  into  ye  Vessell,  & sweeten 
ye  Liquor  with  Melosses.  Give  2 Spoonfuls  of  this  2 or 
3 times  in  a day.  If  you  Dip  your  Child,  Do  it  in  this 
manner : viz : naked,  in  ye  morning,  head  foremost  in 
Cold  Water,  don’t  dress  it  Immediately,  but  let  it  be  made 
warm  in  ye  Cradle  & sweat  at  least  half  an  Hour  moder- 
ately. Do  this  3 mornings  going  & if  one  or  both  feet  are 
Cold  while  other  Parts  sweat  (which  is  sometimes  ye  Case) 
Let  a little  blood  be  taken  out  of  ye  feet  ye  2nd  Morning 
and  yt  will  cause  them  to  sweat  afterwards.  Before 
ye  dips  of  ye  Child  give  it  some  Snakeroot  and  Saffern 
Steep’d  in  Rum  & Water,  give  this  Immediately  before 
Diping  and  after  you  have  dipt  ye  Child  3 Mornings  Give 
it  several  times  a Day  ye  following  Syrup  made  of  Comfry, 
Hartshorn,  Red  Roses,  Hog-brake  roots,  knot-grass,  petty- 
moral  roots,  sweeten  ye  Syrup  with  Melosses.  Physicians 
are  generally  fearful  about  diping  when  ye  Fever  is  hard, 
but  oftentimes  all  attemps  to  lower  it  without  diping  are 
vain.  Experience  has  taught  me  that  these  fears  are 
groundless,  yt  many  have  about  diping  in  Rickety  Fevers; 
I have  found  in  a multitude  of  Instances  of  diping  is  most 
effectual  means  to  break  a Rickety  Fever.  These  Direc- 
tions are  agreable  to  what  I have  practiced  for  many  years.” 

Among 


Babyhood 


9 


Among  other  English  notions  thrust  upon  Ameri- 
can children  was  one  thus  advertised  in  ante-Revo- 
lutionary  newspapers  : — 

“The  Famous  Anodyne  Necklace 

“ price  20  shillings 

“ For  children’s  teeth,  recommended  in  England  by 
Dr.  Chamberlen,  with  a remedy  to  open  and  ease  the 
foregums  of  teething  children  and  bring  their  teeth  safely 
out.  Children  on  the  very  brink  of  the  Grave  and  thought 
past  recovery  with  their  teeth,  fits,  fevers,  convulsions, 
hooping  and  other  violent  coughs,  gripes,  looseness,  and  all 
proceeding  from  their  teeth  who  cannot  tell  what  they 
suffer  nor  make  known  their  pains  any  other  way  but  by 
crying  and  moans,  have  almost  miraculously  recovered 
after  having  worn  the  famous  Anodyne  Necklace  but  one 
night’s  time.  A mother  then  would  never  forgive  herself 
whose  child  should  die  for  want  of  so  very  easy  a remedy 
for  its  teeth.  And  what  is  particularly  remarkable  of  this 
necklace  is,  that  of  those  vast  numbers  who  have  had  this 
necklace  for  their  children,  none  have  made  any  complaints 
but  express  how  glad  they  have  been  that  their  children 
have  worn  it  whereas  if  they  had  not  had  it,  they  believed 
their  children  would  have  been  in  the  grave,  all  means 
having  been  used  in  vain  until  they  had  the  necklace.” 

These  anodyne  necklaces  were  akin  to  the  medi- 
cated belts  of  our  own  day,  and  were  worn  as  chil- 
dren still  wear  amber  beads  to  avert  the  croup. 

Various 


IO 


Child  Lite  in  Colonial  Days 


Various  native  berries  had  restorative  and  preventive 
properties  when  strung  as  a necklace.  Uglier  decora- 
tions were  those  recommended  by  Josselyn  to  New 
England  parents,  strings  of  fawn’s  teeth  or  wolf’s 
fangs,  a sure  promoter  of  easy  teething.  He  also 


Mayflower  Cradle,  owned  by  the  Pilgrim  William  White 


advised  scratching  the  child’s  gums  with  an  osprey 
bone.  Children  died,  however,  in  spite  of  these 
varied  charms  and  doses,  in  vast  numbers  while 
teething. 

There  were  some  feeble  expressions  ol  revolt 
against  the  horrible  doses  of  the  day.  In  1647  we 
hear  of  the  publication  ol  “ a Most  Desperate 

Booke 


Babyhood 


1 1 

Booke  written  against  taking  of  Phissick,”  but  it 
was  promptly  ordered  to  be  burnt ; and  the  doses 
were  continued  until  well  into  this  century.  The 
shadow  of  their  power  lingers  yet  in  country  homes. 

Many  alluring  baits  were  written  back  to  England 
by  the  first  emigrants  to  tempt  others  to  follow  to 
the  new  world.  Among  other  considerations 
Gabriel  Thomas  made  this  statement:  — 

“ The  Christian  children  born  here  are  generally  well- 
favored  and  beautiful  to  behold.  I never  knew  any  to 
come  into  the  world  with  the  least  blemish  on  any  part 
of  the  body  ; being  in  the  general  observed  to  be  better- 
natured,  milder,  and  more  tender-hearted  than  those  born 
in  England.” 

John  Hammond  lavished  equal  praise  on  the 
children  in  Virginia.  It  was  also  asserted  that 
the  average  number  of  children  in  a family  was 
larger,  which  is  always  true  in  a pioneer  settle- 
ment in  a new  country.  The  promise  of  the  Lord 
is  ever  fulfilled  that  he  will  “make  the  families  of 
his  servants  in  the  wilderness  like  a flock.” 

A cheerful  home  life  was  insured  by  these  large 
families  when  they  lived.  Sir  William  Phips  was 
one  of  twenty-six  children,  all  with  the  same  mother. 
Green,  the  Boston  printer,  had  thirty  children. 
Another  printer,  Benjamin  Franklin,  was  one  of  a 

family 


12  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

family  of  seventeen.  William  Rawson  had  twenty 
children  by  one  wife.  Rev.  Cotton  Mather  tells 
us  : — 

lt  One  woman  had  not  less  than  twenty-two  children, 
and  another  had  no  less  than  twenty-three  children  by  one 
husband,  whereof  nineteen  lived  to  man’s  estate,  and  a 
third  was  mother  to  seven  and  twenty  children.” 

He  himself  had  fifteen  children,  though  but  two 
survived  him.  Other  ministers  had  larger  families. 
Rev.  John  Sherman,  of  Watertown,  Massachusetts, 
had  twenty-six  children  by  two  wives.  Rev.  Samuel 
Willard,  the  first  minister  of  Groton,  Massachu- 
setts, had  twenty  children,  and  was  himself  one  of 
seventeen  children.  It  is  to  the  honor  of  these 
poorly  paid  ministers  that  they  brought  up  these 
large  families  well.  Rev.  Abijah  Weld,  of  Attle- 
boro, Massachusetts,  had  an  annual  salary  of  about 
two  hundred  and  twenty  dollars.  He  had  a small 
farm  and  a decent  house;  he  lived  in  generous 
hospitality,  entertaining  many  visitors  and  contrib- 
uting to  the  wants  of  the  poor.  He  had  fifteen 
children  and  reared  a grandchild.  In  his  fifty-five 
years  of  service  as  a minister  he  was  never  detained 
from  his  duties  nor  failed  to  perform  them. 

Rev.  Moses  Fiske  had  sixteen  children  ; he  sent 
three  sons  to  college  and  married  off  all  his  daugh- 
ters ; 


Babyhood 


13 


ters ; his  salary  was  never  over  ninety  pounds,  and 
usually  but  sixty  pounds  a year,  paid  chiefly  in  corn 
and  wood.  One  verse  of  a memorial  poem  to 
Mrs.  Sarah  Thayer  reads  : — 

“ And  one  thing  more  remarkable 
Which  here  I shall  record  ; 

She’d  fourteen  children  with  her 
At  the  table  of  her  Lord.” 

These  large  families  were  eagerly  welcomed. 
Children  were  a blessing.  The  Danish  proverb 
says,  “Children  are  the  poor  man’s  wealth.”  To 
the  farmer,  especially  the  frontiersman,  every  child 
in  the  home  is  an  extra  producer.  No  town  in 
New  England  had  less  land  to  distribute  than 
Boston,  but  on  all  allotments  women  and  children 
received  their  full  proportion  ; the  early  allotments 
of  land  in  Brookline  (then  part  of  Boston)  were 
made  by  “ heads,”  that  is,  according  to  the  number 
of  people  in  the  family. 

It  is  an  interesting  study  to  trace  the  underlying 
reason  for  naming  children  many  of  the  curious 
names  which  were  given  to  the  offspring  of  the  first 
colonists.  Parents  searched  for  names  of  deep  sig- 
nificance, for  names  appropriate  to  conditions,  for 
those  of  profound  influence — presumably  on  the 
child’s  life.  Glory  to  God  and  zealous  ambition 

for 


14  Child  'Life  in  Colonial  Days 


Townes  Cradle 

lor  the  child’s  future  were  equally  influential  in  de- 
ciding selection. 

Rev.  Richard  Buck,  one  of  the  early  parsons  in 
Virginia,  in  days  of  deep  depression  named  his  first 
child  Mara.  This  text  indicates  the  reason  for  his 
choice:  “Call  me  Mara  for  the  Almighty  hath  dealt 
very  bitterly  with  me.  I went  out  full  and  the 
Lord  hath  brought  me  home  empty.”  His  second 
child  was  christened  Gershom ; for  Moses’  wife 
“ bare  him  a son  and  called  his  name  Gershom,  for 
he  said  I have  been  in  a strange  land.”  Eber,  the 

Heb  rew 


Babyhood 


1S 


Hebrew  patriarch,  called  his  son  Peleg,  “for  his 
days  were  divided.”  Mr.  Buck  celebrated  the 

Pelegging,  or  dividing  of  Virginia,  into  legislative 
districts  by  naming  his  third  child  Peleg.  Many 
names  have  a pathos  and  sadness  which  can  be  felt 
down  through  the  centuries.  Dame  Dinely,  widow 
of  a doctor  or  barber-surgeon  who  had  died  in 
the  snow  while  striving  to  visit  a distant  patient, 
named  her  poor  babe  Fathergone.  A little  Good- 
man child,  born  alter  the  death  of  her  father, 
was  sadly  but  trustingly  named  Abiel  — God  is 
my  father.  Seaborn  was  the  name  indicative  ot 
the  introduction  into  life  of  one  of  my  own 
ancestors. 

In  the  old  Ropes  Bible  in  Salem  is  given  the 
reason  for  an  unusual  name  which  often  appears  in 
that  family;  it  is  Seeth.  One  of  the  family  was 
supposed  to  be  dead,  having  disappeared.  On  his 
sudden  reappearance  a pious  Ropes  exclaimed  in 
joy,  “ The  Lord  seeth  not  as  man  seeth,  and  my 
child  shall  be  named  Seeth.”  An  early  example  of 
the  name  is  Seeth  Grafton,  who  became  the  wife  of 
Thomas  Gardner  in  1636. 

Judge  Sewall  named  one  son  Joseph, 

“ In  hopes  of  the  accomplishment  of  the  Prophecy  of 
Ezekiel  xxxvii.  and  such  ; and  not  out  of  respect  to  any 
Relation  or  any  other  Person  except  the  first  Joseph.” 

Judge 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


1 6 


Judge  Sewall  again  made  an  entry  in  his  diary 
after  a christening. 

“I  named  my  little  Daughter  Sarah.  Mr.  Torrey  said 
cad  her  Sarah  and  make  a Madam  of  her.  I was  struggling 
whether  to  call  her  Mehetable  or  Sarah.  But  when  I saw 
Sarah’s  standing  in  the  Scripture,  viz  : Peter,  Galatians, 
Hebrews,  Romans,  I resolv’d  on  that  suddenly.” 

Abigail,  meaning  father’s  joy,  was  also  frequently 
given,  and  Hannah,  meaning  grace;  the  history  of 
these  two  Hebrew  women  made  their  names  hon- 
ored of  New  England  Puritans.  Zurishaddai,  the 
Almighty  is  my  rock,  was  bestowed  on  more  than 
one  boy.  Comfort,  Deliverance,  Temperance, 
Peace,  Hope,  Patience,  Charity,  Faith,  Love,  Sub- 
mit, Endurance,  Silence,  Joy,  Rejoice,  Hoped  for, 
and  similar  names  indicative  of  a trait  of  character,  a 
virtue,  or  an  aspiration  of  goodness,  were  common. 
The  children  of  Roger  Clap  were  named  Experi- 
ence, Waitstill,  Preserved,  Hopestill,  Wait,  Thanks, 
Desire,  Unite,  and  Supply.  Madam  Austin,  an 
early  settler  of  old  Narragansett,  had  sixteen  chil- 
dren. Their  names  were  Parvis,  Picus,  Piersus, 
Prisemus,  Polybius,  Lois,  Lettice,  Avis,  Anstice, 
Eunice,  Mary,  John,  Elizabeth,  Ruth,  Freelove. 
All  lived  to  be  threescore  and  ten,  one  to  be  a hun- 
dred and  two  years  old. 


Edward 


Babyhood 


17 


Edward  Bendall’s  children  were  named  T rue- 
grace,  Reform,  Hoped  for,  More  mercy,  and  Re- 
store. Richard  Gridley’s  offspring  were  Return, 
Believe,  and  Tremble. 

With  the  exception  of  Puritanical  names,  double 
Christian  names  were  very  rare  until  after  the  Revo- 
lution, as  may  be  seen  by  examining  any  document 
with  many  signatures;  such,  for  instance,  as  the 
Declaration  of  Independence,  or  the  lists  of  officers 
and  men  in  the  Continental  Army.  Return  Jona- 
than Meigs  was  a notable  exception. 

There  exists  in  New  England  a tradition  of 
“ groaning-cakes  ” being  made  and  baked  at  the 
birth  of  a child,  to  give  to  visitors.  I have  found 
no  record  of  it.  The  Frenchman,  Misson,  in  his 
Travels  in  England , says,  “ At  the  birth  of  their 
children  they  (visitors)  drink  a glass  of  wine  and 
eat  a bit  of  a certain  cake,  which  is  seldom  made 
but  upon  these  occasions.”  Anna  Green  Winslow, 
a Boston  schoolgirl,  tells  of  making  what  she  calls 
“a  setting  up  visit”  to  a relative  who  had  a baby 
about  four  weeks  old.  She  wore  her  best  and  most 
formal  attire  and  says,  “It  cost  me  a pistareen 
to  Nurse  Eaton  for  two  cakes  which  I took  care 
to  eat  before  I paid  for  them.”  There  certainly 
was  a custom  of  giving  money,  clothing,  or  petty 
trinkets  to  the  nurse  at  such  visits.  Judge  Sewall 


1 8 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


frequently  writes  of  these  “vails”  which  he  made 
at  the  house  of  his  friends.  He  writes  in  one 
case  of  brewing  “ groaning-beer,”  and  in  his  house- 
hold were  held  two  New  England  amphidromia. 
The  midwife,  nurses,  and  all  the  neighboring 
women  who  had  helped  with  work  or  advice  during 
the  early  days  of  the  child’s  life  were  bidden  to 
a dinner.  One  Sewall  baby  was  scarcely  two  weeks 
old  when  seventeen  women  dined  at  the  Judge’s 
house,  on  boiled  pork,  beef,  and  fowls  ; roast  beef 
and  turkey  ; pies  and  tarts.  At  another  time 
“ minc’d  Pyes  and  cheese  ” were  added.  Judge 
Winthrop’s  sister,  Madam  Downing,  furnished  sack 
and  claret  also.  A survival  of  this  custom  lasted  till 
this  century  in  the  drinking  of  caudle  by  the  bedside 
of  the  mother. 

A pincushion  was  for  many  years  and  indeed  is 
still  in  some  parts  of  New  England  a highly  con- 
ventional gift  to  a mother  with  a young  babe. 

Poor  Robin's  Almanack  for  the  year  1676  says:  — 

“ Pincushions  and  such  other  knacks 
A childbed  woman  always  lacks.” 

I have  seen  in  different  families  five  of  precisely 
the  same  pattern  and  size,  all  made  about  the  time 
of  the  Revolution.  One  given  to  a Boston  baby, 
while  his  new  home  was  in  state  of  siege,  bore  the 

inscription, 


Babyhood 


J9 


inscription,  “ Welcome  little  Stranger,  tho’  the  Port 
is  closed.”  These  words  were  formed  by  the  heads 
of  pins.  Another,  about  five  inches  long  and 


three  inches  wide,  is  of  green  figured  silk  with  a 
flowered  vine  stuck  in  pins  and  the  words,  “ John 
Winslow,  March,  1783,  Welcome,  Little  Stranger.” 
Anna  Green  Winslow  tells  of  her  aunts  making  one 
with  “ a planthorn  of  flowers  ” and  the  name.  I 

have 


20 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


have  seen  one  with  similar  inscription  knitted  of 
fine  silk  and  with  the  name  sewed  on  in  steel  beads, 
among  which  pins  were  stuck  in  a graceful  pattern. 

The  seventeenth-century  baby  slept,  as  his  nine- 
teenth-century descendant  does,  in  a cradle.  Noth- 
ing could  be  prettier  than  the  old  cradles  that  have 
survived  successive  years  of  use  with  many  genera- 
tions of  babies.  In  Pilgrim  Hall  still  mav  be  seen 
the  quaint  and  finely  wrought  wicker  cradle  of  Pere- 


Indian  Cradle 

grine  White,  the  first  white  child  born  in  Plymouth. 
This  cradle  is  of  Dutch  manufacture ; and  is  one  of 
the  few  authentic  articles  still  surviving  that  came 
over  on  the  Mayflower.  It  was  brought  over  by 
William  White,  whose  widow  married  Governor 
Edward  Winslow.  A similar  wicker  cradle  may  be 


seen 


Babyhood 


21 


seen  at  the  Essex  Institute  in  Salem,  together  with 
a heavy  wooden  cradle  in  which  many  members  of 
the  Townes  family  ot  Topsfield,  Massachusetts, 
were  rocked  to  sleep  two  centuries  ago.  Judge 
Sewall  bought  a wicker  cradle  for  one  of  his  many 
children  and  paid  sixteen  shillings  for  it.  A grace- 
ful variant  of  the  swinging  cradle  is  shown  in  the 
Indian  basket  hung  at  either  end  from  a wooden 
standard  or  frame.  In  this  strong  basket,  fashioned 
by  an  Indian  mother,  many  a white  child  has  been 
swung  and  sung  to  sleep.  A still  more  picturesque 
cradle  was  made  of  birch  bark,  that  plentiful 
material  so  widely  adaptive  to  household  uses,  and 
so  deftly  manipulated  and  shaped  by  the  patient 
squaws. 

In  these  cradles  the  colonial  baby  slept,  warmly 
wrapped  in  a homespun  blanket  or  pressed  quilt. 

Poor  Robin  s Almanack  for  the  year  1676  enumer- 
ates among  a baby’s  outfit : — 

“ Blanekets  of  a several  scantling 
Therein  for  to  wrap  a bantling.” 

Of  these  wraps,  of  the  thinner  sort,  may  be  named 
the  thin,  close-woven,  homespun  “ flannel  sheet,” 
spun  of  the  whitest  wool  into  a fine  twisted  worsted, 
and  woven  with  a close  sley  into  an  even  web  as 
enduring  as  the  true  Oriental  cashmere.  The  baby’s 

initials 


11  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

initials  were  often  marked  on  these  sheets,  and  fort- 
unate was  the  child  who  had  the  light,  warm  wrap- 


Governor  Bradford’s  Christening  Blanket,  1590 


pings.  My  own  children  had  “flannel  sheets”  that 
had  seen  a century  or  more  of  use  with  generations 
of  forbears. 

A finer  coverlet,  one  of  state,  the  christening 

blanket 


Baby hood 


O O 
-J 

blanket,  was  usually  made  of  silk,  richly  embroid 
ered,  sometimes  with  a text  of  Scripture.  These 
were  often  lace-bordered  or  edged  with  a narrow 
home-woven  silk  fringe.  The  christening  blanket 
of  Governor  Bradford  of  the  Plymouth  Colony  still 
exists,  whole  of  fabric  and  unfaded  of  dye.  It 
is  a rich  crimson  silk,  soft  of  texture,  like  a 
heavy  sarcenet  silk,  and  is  powdered  at  regular 
distances  about  six  inches  apart  with  conventional 
sprays  of  flowers  embroidered  chiefly  in  pink  and 
yellow,  in  minute  and  beautiful  cross-stitch.  It  is 
distinctly  Oriental  in  appearance,  far  more  so  than 
is  indicated  by  its  black  and  white  representation 
here.  Another  beautiful  silk  christening  blanket 
was  quilted  in  an  intricate  flower  pattern  in  almost 
imperceptible  stitches.  These  formal  wrappings  of 
state  were  sometimes  called  bearing-cloths  or  clothes, 
and  served  through  many  generations.  Shakespeare 
speaks  in  Henry  VI.  of  a child’s  bearing-cloth. 

A go-cart  or  standing-stool  was  a favorite  instru- 
ment to  teach  a child  to  walk.  A standing-stool  a 
century  old  in  which  Newburyport  babies  stood 
and  toddled  is  a rather  crude  frame  of  wood  with 
a ledge  or  narrow  table  for  toys.  The  method 
of  using  a go-cart  is  shown  in  this  old  print  taken 
from  a child’s  book  called,  Little  Prattle  over  a 
Book  of  Prints , published  for  sixpence  in  1801. 

In 


24 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


In  the  writers  of  Oueen  Anne’s  day  frequent  refer- 
ences are  made  to  go-carts. 

I find  strong  evidence  that  Locke’s  Thoughts 
on  Education , published  in  England  in  1690,  found 

many  readers  and 
ardent  followers  in 
the  new  world.  The 
book  is  in  many  old- 
time  library  lists  in 
New  England,  and 
among  the  scant  vol- 
umes of  those  who 
had  but  a single 
book-shelf  or  book- 
box.  I have  seen 
abstracts  and  trans- 
positions of  his  pre- 
cepts on  the  pages 
of  almanacs,  the  most 
universally  circulated 
and  studied  of  all 
eighteenth-century  books  save  the  Bible.  In  con- 
temporary letters  evidence  is  found  of  the  influence 
of  Locke’s  principles.  In  the  prefaces  of  Thomas’ 
reprints  he  is  quoted  and  eulogized.  The  notions 
of  the  English  philosopher  appealed  to  American 
parents  because  they  were,  as  the  author  said,  “ the 

consideration 


Standing  Stool 


Babyhood 


25 


consideration  not  what  a physician  ought  to  do  with 
a sick  or  crazy  child,  but  what  parents  without  the 
help  of  physic  should  do  for  the  preservation  of  an 
healthy  constitution.”  Crazy  here  is  used  in  the 
old-time  sense  of  feeble  bodily  health,  not  mental. 
In  these  days  of  hundreds  of  books  on  child-study, 
education,  child-culture,  and  kindred  topics,  it  is  a 
distinct  pleasure  to  read  Locke’s  sturdy  sentences  ; 
to  see  how  wise,  and  kindly,  and  logical  he  was  in 
nearly  all  his  advices,  especially  on  moral  or  ethical 
questions.  Even  those  on  physical  conditions  that 
seem  laughably  obsolete  to-day  were  so  in  advance 
of  the  general  practices  of  his  day  that  they  are 
farther  removed  from  the  notions  of  his  time  than 
from  those  of  ours.  In  judging  them  let  us 
remember  Dr.  Holmes’  lines:  — 

“ Little  of  all  we  value  here 
Wakes  on  the  morn  of  its  hundredth  year 
Without  both  looking  and  feeling  queer.” 

Certainly  an  existence  of  two  centuries  may  make  us 
pardon  a little  queerness  in  advice. 

One  of  Locke’s  instructions  much  thought  on  in 
the  years  his  book  was  so  widely  read  was  the  advice 
to  wash  the  child’s  feet  daily  in  cold  water,  and  “ to 
have  his  shoes  so  thin  that  they  might  leak  and  let 
in  water.”  Josiah  Quincy  was  the  suffering  subject 
of  some  of  this  instruction  ; when  only  three  years 

’ old 


26 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


old  he  was  taken  from  his  warm  bed  in  winter  as 
well  as  summer  (and  this  in  Eastern  Massachusetts), 
carried  downstairs  to  a cellar  kitchen  and  dipped 
three  times  in  a tub  of  cold  water  fresh  from  the 
pump.  He  was  also  brought  up  with  utter  in- 
difference to  wet  feet;  he  said  that  in  his  boyhood 
he  sat  more  than  half  the  time  with  his  feet  wet  and 
cold,  but  with  no  ill  results. 

Locke  also  strongly  counselled  learning  dancing, 
swimming,  and  playing  in  the  open  air.  In  his  diet 
“ flesh  should  be  forborn  as  long  as  the  boy  is  in 
coats,  or  at  least  till  he  is  two  or  three  years  old  ” ; for 
breakfast  and  supper  he  advises  milk,  milk-pottage, 
water-gruel,  flummery,  and  similar  “spoon-meat,” 
or  brown  bread  with  cheese.  If  the  boy  called  for 
victuals  between  meals,  he  should  have  dry  bread. 
His  only  extra  drink  should  be  small-beer,  which 
should  be  warm  ; and  seldom  he  should  taste  wine 
or  strong  drink.  Locke  would  not  have  children 
eat  melons,  peaches,  plums,  or  grapes ; while 
berries  and  ripe  pears  and  apples,  the  latter  espe- 
cially after  October,  he  deems  healthful.  The  bed 
should  be  hard,  of  quilts  rather  than  of  feathers. 
Under  these  rigid  rules  were  reared  many  of  our 
Revolutionary  heroes  and  statesmen. 

The  adoption  of  Locke’s  ideas  about  the  use  of 
cold  water,  or  indeed  of  any  frequent  bathing, 


was 


De  Peyster  Twins 


Babyhood 


27 


was  perhaps  the  most  radical  innovation  in  modes 
of  living.  The  English  never  bathed,  in  our  sense 
of  the  word,  a complete  immersion,  nor,  I suppose, 
did  our  Puritan,  Cavalier,  or  Ouaker  ancestors. 
Sewall  makes  not  one  reference  to  anything  of  the 
kind,  but  that  is  not  strange  ; nor  is  his  omission 
any  proof,  negative  or  positive,  for  he  refers  to  no 


personal  habits,  and  very  shortly  and  infrequently 
to  dress.  Pepys,  the  courtier  and  dandy,  tells  of 
rare  monumental  occasions  when  he  cleaned  himself 
— far  too  rare,  we  may  judge  from  side-lights  thrown 
by  other  of  his  statements.  The  Youth's  Be- 
havior, an  old-time  book  of  etiquette,  lays  down 
an  assertion  that  it  is  a point  of  wholesomeness  to 

wash 


28 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


wash  one’s  face  and  hands  as  soon  as  one  is  up  and 
dressed,  and  “ to  comb  one’s  head  in  time  and  season, 
yet  not  too  curiously.”  Bathing  the  person  in 
unaccustomed  spots  was  a ticklish  proceeding  — a 
water  ordeal,  to  be  gravely  considered.  Mistress 
Alice  Thornton,  a Yorkshire  dame,  records  in  her 
account  of  her  life  one  occasion  when  she  washed 
her  feet,  but  she  was  overbold.  “ Which  my 
mother  did  believe  it  was  the  cause  of  that  dangerous 
htt  the  next  dav.”  In  the  Verney  volumes  we  find 
that  forlorn  Verney  boy,  poor  sickly  “ Mun,”  wear- 
ing a harness  for  his  crooked  back  till  his  shirt  was 
black,  when  the  famous  surgeon  changed  the  har- 
ness, and  Mun  his  shirt,  with  no  thought  on  the 
part  of  either  of  a bath  being  a necessity. 

In  1630  a ship  was  sent  from  England  to  Massa- 
chusetts which  was  provisioned  for  three  months. 
Among  the  stores  for  the  passengers’  use  were  two 
casks  of  Malaga  and  Canary ; twenty  gallons  of 
aqua-vitae  ; forty-five  tuns  of  beer ; and  for  drink- 
ing, washing,  cooking,  bathing,  etc.,  but  six  tuns  of 
water.  Idle  ships  sent  out  to  Georgia  by  Ogle- 
thorpe were  so  scantily  supplied  with  water  that  it 
is  positive  no  fresh  water  could  have  been  used  for 
bathing  even  in  minute  amount.  The  reputation 
of  hidden  malevolence  which  hung  around  water  as 
a beverage  seems  to  have  extended  to  its  use  in  any 

form 


Babyhood 


19 


form.  It  was  believed  to  be  permeated  with  minute 
noxious  particles,  which  in  those  ante-bacteriological 
days  could  not  be  explained,  but  which  were  distinctly 
appreciated  and  dreaded. 

But  these  be  parlous  words.  Let  us  rather  show 
some  sympathy  for  our  ancestors.  We  bathe  in 
well-warmed  rooms,  often  in  cold  water,  but  with 
steaming  hot  water  in  ample  command  at  a turn  of 
the  hand.  Had  we  to  carry  all  the  water  for  our 
bathing  use  from  a well  whence  we  laboriously  raised 
it  in  small  amounts,  and  were  we  forced  to  bathe  m 
an  icy  atmosphere,  with  cutting  draughts  striking  us 
on  every  side,  with  the  basins  of  water  freezing  on 
the  hearth  in  front  of  a blazing  fire,  and  the  juices 
of  the  wood  freezing  at  the  ends  of  burning  logs, 
we  might  not  deem  our  daily  bath  such  an  indis- 
pensable necessity. 

We  have  heard  an  advanced  thinker  like  Locke 
suggest  brown  bread,  cheese,  and  warm  beer  as  food 
for  young  children.  What,  then,  must  have  been 
the  notions  of  less  thoughtful  folk  ? Doubtless  in 
England  such  food  would  have  been  simple  ; but  in 
the  new  world  less  beer  was  drank  and  more  milk, 
which  must  have  proved  the  salvation  of  American 
children.  And  the  plentiful  and  varied  cereal  foods, 
many  of  them  from  Indian  corn,  were  a suitable 
diet  for  young  children.  Samp,  hominy,  suppawn, 

pone. 


3° 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


pone,  succotash,  — all  Indian  foods  and  cooked  in 
Indian  ways,  — were  found  in  every  home  in  every 
colony.  Baked  beans,  another  Indian  dish,  were 
also  good  food  for  children.  Native  and  domestic 
fruits  were  plentiful,  but,  with  the  exception  of 
apples  and  pears,  were  not  very  attractive.  The 
succession  of  summer’s  and  autumn’s  berries  must 
have  been  eagerly  welcomed.  They  were  in  the  rich 
and  spicy  plenty  offered  by  a virgin  soil. 

A curious,  rare,  and  quaintly  named  English 
book  is  owned  by  Earl  Spencer.  Its  title  runs 
thus  : — 

“ Dyves  Pragmaticus.  A booke  in  English  metre  of 
the  great  marchuant  man  called  Dyves  Pragmaticus,  very 
pretye  for  chyldren  to  rede,  whereby  they  may  be  the 
better  and  more  readyer  rede  and  wryte  Wares  and  Imple- 
ments in  this  World  contayned.  . . . When  thou  sellest 
aught  unto  thy  neighbour  or  byest  anything  of  him  deceave 
not  nor  oppress  him,  etc.  Imprinted  at  London  in  Alders- 
gate  strete  by  Alexander  Lacy  dwellynge  beside  the  Wall. 
The  XXV  of  Aprill,  1563.” 

It  contains  a list  of  sweetmeats  for  the  enticement 
of  children  which  may  be  confidently  relied  on  as  a 
full  one  if  we  can  judge  by  the  exhaustiveness  of  the 
lists  of  other  commodities  found  in  the  poem  : — 

“ I have  Sucket,  Surrip,  Grene  Ginger,  and  Marmalade, 
Bisket,  Cumfet,  and  Carraways  as  fine  as  can  be  made.” 


A 


Babyhood 


3l 


A sucket  was  a dried  sweetmeat  such  as  candied 
orange  peel.  A caraway  was  a sweet  cake  with 
caraway-seeds. 

Apples  and  caraways  were  a favorite  dish,  still 
served  at  some  of  the  anniversary  feasts  of  English 
universities.  Comfits  were  highly  flavored,  often 
scented  with  strong  perfumes  like  musk  and 
bergamot. 

Sweetmeats  appear  to  have  been  plentiful  in  the 
colonies  from  early  days.  The  first  native  poet  of 
New  England  wrote  complainingly  as  early  as  1675 
that  — 

“ From  western  isles  now  fruits  and  delicacies 
Do  rot  maids’  teeth  and  spoil  their  handsome  faces.” 

Ships  in  the  “Indian  trade”  brought  to  the  colo- 
nies abundance  of  sugar,  molasses,  chocolate,  ginger, 
and  other  dried  fruits.  These  were  apparently  far 
more  common  here  than  in  England ; Mr.  Ernst 
says  these  constant  relays  of  sweets  “produced 
the  American  sweet-tooth  — a wonder.”  Candied 
eringo-root,  candied  lemon-peel,  angelica  candy,  as 
well  as  caraway  comfits  and  sugared  coriander-seed 
and  dried  ginger,  were  advertised  for  sale  in  Boston, 
and  show  the  taste  of  the  day.  In  1731  Widow 
Bonyet  had  a notice  of  her  specialties  in  the  Boston 
News  Letter.  It  has  quite  the  modern  ring  in  its 
meat  jellies  for  the  sick,  and  home-made  preserves, 

jellies, 


32  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

jellies,  and  sirups.  She  also  made  (hose  ancient 
sweets,  macaroons,  marchpanes,  and  crisp  almonds. 
These  latter  do  not  appear  to  be  the  glazed  and 
burnt  almonds  of  the  confectioner,  and  may  have 
been  salted  almonds.  The  only  candy  Sewall  refers 
to  is  sugared  almonds.  He  frequently  speaks  of  gifts 
of  oranges,  figs,  and  “raisins  of  the  sun.”  Raisins 
were  brought  into  all  the  colonial  ports  in  vast 
amounts,  and  were  until  this  century  regarded  by 
children  as  a great  dainty. 

Each  large  city  seems  to  have  had  some  special 
confectioner  or  baker  who  was  renowned  for 
special  cakes.  Boston  had  Meer’s  cakes.  New 
York  children  probably  had  the  greatest  variety 
of  cookies,  crullers,  and  various  small  cakes,  as 
these  were  distinctly  Dutch,  and  the  Dutch  vrouws 
excelled  in  cake-making. 

Strings  of  rock-candy  came  from  China,  but  were 
rivalled  by  a distinctly  native  sweet  — maple  sugar. 
Equally  American  appear  to  us  those  Salem  sweets, 
namely,  Black  Jacks  and  Salem  Gibraltars.  Base 
imitations  appeared  elsewhere,  but  never  equalled  the 
original  delights  in  Salem.  Children  who  were  fortu- 
nate enough  to  live  in  coast  towns  reaped  the  sweet 
fruits  of  their  fathers’  foreign  ventures.  When  a ship 
came  into  port  with  eighty  boxes  of  sugar  candy  on 
board  and  sixty  tubs  of  rock-candy,  poor  indeed  was 

the 


Babyhood 


33 


the  child  who  was  not  surfeited  with  sweets.  There 
was  a sequel,  however,  to  the  toothsome  feast,  a 
bitter  dessert.  The  ship  that  brought  eighty 
boxes  of  sugar  candy  also  fetched 
a hundred  boxes  of  rhu- 
barb and  ten  of 


senna. 


CHAPTER  II 


CHILDREN  S DRESS 


Man' s earthly  Interests  are  all  hooked  and  buttoned  together  and 
held  up  by  Clothes. 

— Sartor  Resartus.  Thomas  Carlyle , x8jj. 


o 


F the  dress  of  infants  of  colonial  times  we 
can  judge  from  the  articles  of  clothing 
which  have  been  preserved  till  this  day. 
Perhaps  I should  say  that  we  can  judge  of  the  better 
garments  worn  by  babies,  not  their  everyday  dress  ; 
for  it  is  not  their  simpler  attire  that  has  survived, 
but  their  christening  robes,  their  finer  shirts  and 
petticoats  and  caps. 

Linen  formed  the  chilling  substructure  of  their 
dress,  thin  linen,  low-necked,  short-sleeved  shirts; 
and  linen  even  formed  the  underwear  of  infants 
until  the  middle  of  this  century.  These  little  linen 
shirts  are  daintier  than  the  warmest  silk  or  fine 
woollen  underwear  that  have  succeeded  them  ; they 
are  edged  with  fine  narrow  thread  lace,  hemstitched 
with  tiny  rows  of  stitches,  and  sometimes  embroid- 
ered 


34 


Children’s  Dress 


35 


Baptismal  Shirt  and  Mittens  of  Governor  Bradford,  1590 


ered  by  hand.  I have  seen  a little  shirt  and  a cap 
embroidered  with  the  coat  of  arms  of  the  Lux  and 
Johnson  families  and  the  motto,  “God  bless  the 
Babe  ; ” these  delicate  garments  were  worn  in  in- 
fancy by  the  Revolutionary  soldier,  Governor  John- 
son of  Virginia. 

In  the  Essex  Institute  in  Salem,  Massachusetts, 
are  the  baptismal  shirt  and  mittens  of  the  Pilgrim 
Father,  William  Bradford,  second  governor  of  the 
Plymouth  Colony,  who  was  born  in  1590.  All  are 
of  firm,  close-woven,  homespun  linen,  but  the  little 
mittens  have  been  worn  at  the  ends  by  the  active 
friction  of  baby  hands,  and  are  patched  with  colored 

“ chiney  ” 


36  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

“ chiney  ” or  calico,  A similar  colored  material  frills 
the  sleeves  and  neck.  A pair  ot  baby’s  mitts  ot 
tine  lace  also  may  be  seen  at  the  Essex  Institute. 
These  were  wrought  in  the  sixteenth  century,  and 
the  stitches  and  work  are  those  of  the  antique 
Flanders  laces.  I have  seen  many  tiny  mitts  knit 
of  silk  and  mittens  of  fine  linen,  hemstitched,  worked 
in  drawn  work  or  embroidered,  and  edged  with 
thread-lace,  and  also  a few  mitts  ot  yellow  nankeen 
which  must  have  proved  specially  irritating  to  the 
tiny  little  hands  that  wore  them. 

I have  never  seen  a woollen  petticoat  that  was 
worn  by  an  infant  of  pre-Revolutionary  days.  It 
may  be  argued  that  woollen  garments,  being  liable  to 
ruin  by  moths,  would  naturally  not  be  treasured. 
This  argument  scarcely  is  one  ot  force,  because  I 
have  been  shown  infants’  cloaks  of  wool  as  well  as 
woollen  garments  for  older  folk,  that  have  been  suc- 
cessfully preserved  ; also  beautifully  embroidered 
long  cloaks  of  chamois  skin.  I think  infants  wore 
no  woollen  petticoats  ; their  shirts,  petticoats,  and 
gowns  were  of  linen  or  some  cotton  stuff  like  dim- 
ity. Warmth  of  clothing  was  given  by  tiny  shawls 
pinned  round  the  shoulders,  and  heavier  blankets 
and  quilts  and  shawls  in  which  baby  and  petticoats 
were  wholly  enveloped. 

The  baby  dresses  of  olden  times  are  either  rather 

shapeless 


Robert  Gibbs,  Four  and  a Half  Years  Old,  1670 


Children’s  Dress 


37 


shapeless  sacques  drawn  in  at  the  neck  with  narrow 
cotton  ferret  or  linen  bobbin,  or  little  straight-waisted 
gowns  of  state.  All  were  exquisitely  made  by  hand, 
and  usually  of  fine  stuff.  But  the  babies  in  pioneer 
settlements  a century  ago  had  to  share  in  wearing 
homespun.  It  is  told  of  one  in  a log  cabin  in  a 
New  Hampshire  clearing  that  when  the  grand- 
mother rode  out  eighty  miles  on  horseback  to  see 
her  son’s  first  baby,  she  shed  bitter  tears  at  behold- 
ing the  child,  but  a few  months  old,  clad  in  a gray 
woollen  homespun  slip  with  an  apron  or  tier  of 
blue  and  white  checked  linen.  The  mother,  a 
frontier  lass,  dressed  the  infant  according  to  the 
fashions  she  was  accustomed  to. 

Nothing  could  show  so  fully  the  costume  of  chil- 
dren in  olden  times  as  their  portraits,  and  a series 
of  such  portraits  of  successive  dates  will  be  given  in 
these  pages.  Many  of  them  are  asserted  to  be  by 
the  three  well-known  artists  of  colonial  days,  — 
Blackburn,  Smibert,  and  Copley  ; a few  are  by  Peale, 
Trumbull,  and  Stuart.  I have  accepted  all  family 
traditions  as  true,  and  in  many  cases  believe  them 
to  be  true,  especially  since  there  were  few  painters 
of  any  rank  in  the  community,  and  no  others  who 
could  paint  portraits  such  as  those  which  have  been 
preserved.  The  Gilbert  Stuarts  and  Trumbulls 
usually  have  some  authentic  pedigree.  Many  of 

these 


38  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

these  pictures  have  no  artist’s  signature  and  are 
absolutely  valueless  as  works  of  art,  and  probably 
meritless  as  likenesses  ; but  as  records  of  costume 
they  are  always  of  interest  and  historical  worth. 

There  is  a certain  sweetness  in  some  of  these  old- 
time  portraits  ; they  are  stiff  and  flat,  but  some  of 
them  have  a quaintness  that  reminds  me  of  the 
angels  of  the  early  Florentine  painters.  They  have 
little  grace  of  figure,  but  the  details  of  costume  make 
them  pleasing  even  if  they  are  not  beautiful. 

The  first  child’s  portrait  in  this  series  is  one  of 
extraordinary  interest.  It  is  opposite  page  4,  and 
has  never  before  been  given  to  the  public.  It  is  the 
reputed  miniature  of  the  Pilgrim  Father,  Governor 
Edward  Winslow,  when  a boy  about  six  years  of 
age,  which  would  be  in  1602  ; it  is  the  only  miniature 
in  existence  of  any  of  the  Pilgrims  at  any  age.  I 
have,  in  deference  to  the  wishes  of  the  Rev.  Dr. 
William  Copley  Winslow  of  Boston  (to  whom  I 
am  indebted  for  it),  entitled  it  the  reputed  miniature 
of  the  child  Edward  Winslow,  though  the  term 
expresses  neither  his  belief  nor  mine ; and  seems 
scarcely  just  to  a portrait  whose  claims  to  authen- 
ticity are  far  more  definite  than  those  of  many  of 
the  family  portraits  that  have  descended  to  us. 

The  miniature  came  to  Dr.  Winslow  from  Mrs. 
Hersey  of  Pembroke,  Massachusetts.  She  died  at 

the 


Children’s  Dress 


39 


the  age  of  eighty-six.  Her  grandfather  assured  her 
that  his  father  (the  famous  General  John  Winslow) 
received  the  likeness  from  his  father  (the  grandson 
of  Edward  the  Pilgrim),  and  that  it  was  the  Pilgrim’s 
likeness  as  a child.  This  — through  long-lived  Wins- 


Infant's  Mitts,  16th  Century 

lows  — is  a record  of  few  retellings;  and  these 
were  told  by  lolk  to  be  trusted.  The  Winslows 
were  gentlefolk  of  ample  means,  such  as  were  likely 
to  have  miniatures  painted ; and  the  portrait  of 
Governor  Winslow  when  fifty-six  years  of  age,  now 
in  Pilgrim  Hall,  Plymouth,  is  the  sole  one  (save 
this  miniature)  of  any  of  the  Pilgrims.  Other 

strong 


4o 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


strong  evidence  is  the  extraordinary  resemblance  of 
the  child’s  picture  to  the  “ grown-up  ” portrait,  the 
same  brow,  contour  of  face,  and  other  similarity. 

There  is  something  in  the  child’s  portrait  that 
is  singularly  suggestive  to  any  one  with  any  his- 
torical imagination.  The  simplicity  of  the  dress  and 
arrangement  of  the  hair  show  the  influence  of  Puri- 
tanism. As  I look  at  it  I can  fancy,  yes,  I can 
plainly  see,  some  little  English  children,  twenty  years 
later  standing  on  that  crowded  historic  ship,  looking 
back  with  childish  serenity  at  the  home  they  were 
leaving,  and  then  greeting  as  cheerfully  and  trust- 
ingly the  “sad  Plymouth  ” where  they  disembarked; 
and  the  faces  that  I see  have  the  broad  brow,  the 
flowing  hair,  the  bared  neck,  and  simple  dress  shown 
in  this  miniature. 

The  next  portrait,  which  faces  the  title  page, 
shows  the  costume  worn  in  1690  by  a boy  a year  or 
two  old ; it  is  a charming  and  quaint  picture  of  the 
first  John  Quincy,  who  was  born  in  1689,  and  who 
when  dying,  in  1767,  gave  his  name  to  his  great- 
grandson,  John  Quincy  Adams,  who  had  just  been 
born.  Some  have  thought  the  picture  that  of  a 
sister,  Esther  Quincy  ; but  to  me  it  has  a hard  little 
boy’s  face,  not  the  features  of  a delicate  girl,  and 
also  a boy’s  hands,  and  a boy’s  toy. 

Children  in  America,  if  gentlefolk,  dressed  just 

as 


Children’s  Dress 


41 


as  children  did  in  England  at  that  date;  and  boys 
wore  “coats  ” in  England  till  they  were  six  or  seven. 
One  of  the  most  charming  of  all  grandmothers’ 
letters  was  written  by  a doting  English  grandmother 
to  her  son,  Lord  Chief  Justice  North,  telling  of  the 
“ leaving  off'  of  coats  ” of  his  motherless  little  son, 
Francis  Guildford,  then  six  years  old.  The  letter 
is  dated  October  10,  1679:  — 

“ Dear  Son : 

“ You  cannot  beleeve  the  great  concerne  that  was 
in  the  whole  family  here  last  Wednesday,  it  being  the  day 
that  the  taylor  was  to  helpe  to  dress  little  ffrank  in  his 
breeches  in  order  to  the  making  an  everyday  suit  by  it. 
Never  had  any  bride  that  was  to  be  drest  upon  her  weding 
night  more  handes  about  her,  some  the  legs,  some  the  armes, 
the  taylor  butt’ning,  and  others  putting  on  the  sword,  and 
so  many  lookers  on  that  had  I not  a ffinger  amongst  I could 
not  have  seen  him.  When  he  was  quite  drest  he  acted  his 
part  as  well  as  any  of  them  for  he  desired  he  might  goe 
downe  to  inquire  for  the  little  gentleman  that  was  there 
the  day  before  in  a black  coat,  and  speak  to  the  man  to  tell 
the  gentleman  when  he  came  from  school  that  there  was  a 
gallant  with  very  fine  clothes  and  a sword  to  have  waited 
upon  him  and  would  come  again  upon  Sunday  next.  But 
this  was  not  all,  there  was  great  contrivings  while  he  was 
dressing  who  should  have  the  first  salute ; but  he  sayd  if 
old  Joan  had  been  here,  she  should,  but  he  gave  it  to  me  to 
quiett  them  all.  They  were  very  fitt,  everything,  and  he 

looks 


4- 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


looks  taller  and  prettyer  than  in  his  coats.  Little  Charles 
rejoyced  as  much  as  he  did  for  he  jumpt  all  the  while  about 
him  and  took  notice  of  everything.  I went  to  Bury,  and 
bo1  everything  for  another  suitt  which  will  be  finisht 
on  Saturday  so  the  coats  are  to  be  quite  left  off  on  Sunday. 
I consider  it  is  not  yett  terme  time  and  since  you  could  not 
have  the  pleasure  of  the  first  sight,  I resolved  you  should 
have  a full  relation  from 

u Yor  most  affnate  Mother 

UA  North. 

When  he  was  drest  he  asked  Buckle  whether  muffs 
were  out  of  fashion  because  they  had  not  sent  him  one.” 

This  affectionate  letter,  written  to  a great  and 
busy  statesman,  the  Lord  Keeper  of  the  Seals, 
shows  how  pure  and  delightful  domestic  life  in  Eng- 
land could  be;  but  the  writer  was  not  a common- 
place woman  — she  was  the  mother  of  fourteen 
children,  and  had  had  years  of  experience  with  a 
father-in-law  before  whom  an  army  of  traditional 
mothers-in-law  would  pale.  She  lived  through  this 
ordeal  and  a trying  marital  experience,  and  her 
children  rose  up  and  called  her  blessed.  Among 
her  virtues  her  son  Roger  dilated  at  length  upon  her 
delightful  letter-writing,  her  “ freedom  of  style  and 
matter,”  and  declared  that  her  letters  were  among 
the  comforts  of  her  children’s  lives. 

To  return  to  the  dress  of  John  Ouincy  : with  the 

exception 


Jane  Bonner,  Eight  Years  Old,  1700 


Children’s  Dress 


43 


exception  of  the  neck  of  the  body  of  the  frock  it  is 
much  like  the  dress  of  grown  women  of  that  day. 
We  have  existing  portraits  of  Madam  Shimpton  and 
Rebecca  Rawson  of  the  same  date.  In  both  of  these, 
as  in  this  little  boy’s  portrait,  the  sleeve  is  the 
most  noticeable  feature,  with  its  single  slash,  double 
puff  drawn  in  below  the  elbow  and  confined  with 
pretty  ribbon  knots.  This  sleeve  was  known  as  the 
virago  sleeve,  and  John  Quincy’s  are  darker  colored 
than  his  frock.  All  three  wear  loosely  tied  rather 
shapeless  hoods,  such  as  are  seen  on  the  women  in 
the  prints  of  the  coronation  procession  of  King 
William.  The  boy  has  a close  cap  under  his  hood. 
His  dress  is  certainly  picturesque  and  distinctive. 

A portrait,  facing  page  36,  of  another  Massachu- 
setts boy,  contemporary  with  John  Ouincy,  is  that 
of  Robert  Gibbs,  the  rich  Boston  merchant.  This 
is  plainly  marked  as  being  painted  when  he  was 
four  and  a half  years  old,  and  with  the  date  1670. 
He  wears  the  same  stiff  cuirass  as  John  Quincy,  the 
same  odd  truncated  shoes  of  buff  leather,  and  has 
the  same  masculine  swing  of  the  petticoats.  Both 
figures  stand  on  a checker-board  floor,  four  squares 
deep,  with  their  toes  at  the  same  point  on  the  board. 
Robert  Gibbs  wears  a more  boyish  collar,  or  band, 
as  befits  a bigger  boy.  The  sleeves  are  an  impor- 
tant feature  of  his  dress,  having  a pair  of  long 

hanging 


44 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


hanging  sleeves  bordered  with  fur,  which  do  not 
show  in  the  prir.t  in  this  book,  but  are  plainly 
visible  in  the  original  portrait.  Hanging  sleeves 
were  so  distinctively  the  dress  of  a little  child  that 
the  term  had  at  that  time  a symbolic  significance, 
implying  childishness  both  of  youth  and  second 
childhood.  Pepys  thus  figuratively  employs  the 
term.  Judge  Sewall  wrote  in  old  age  to  a brother 
whose  widowed  sister  he  desired  to  marry:  — 

“ I remember  when  I was  going  from  school  at  New- 
bury to  have  sometime  met  your  sisters  Martha  and  Mary 
in  Hanging  Sleeves,  coming  home  from  their  school  in 
Chandlers  Lane,  and  have  had  the  pleasure  of  speaking  to 
them.  And  I could  find  it  in  my  heart  now  to  speak  to 
Mrs  Martha  again,  now  I myself  am  reduc’d  to  Hanging 
Sleeves.” 

This  roundabout  wooing  came  to  naught.  The 
Judge  married  Widow  Mary  Gibbs,  relict  of  this 
very  Robert  Gibbs  whose  childish  portrait  we  have 
here.  The  artist  who  painted  this  picture  may 
have  been  Tom  Child,  who  is  named  by  Judge 
Sewall  as  the  portrait-painter  of  that  day. 

A demure  and  quaint  portrait,  opposite  page  42, 
is  that  of  Jane  Bonner.  She  was  born  in  1691,  the 
daughter  of  Captain  John  Bonner  of  Boston,  and 
was  married  in  1710  to  John  Ellery.  She  was 

about 


Children’s  Dress 


45 


about  eight  or  ten  years  old  when  the  portrait  was 
painted.  Crude  as  is  the  painting,  it  gives  evident 
proof  that  the  lace  of  the  stomacher  and  sleeve  frills 
is  of  the  nature  of  what  is  now  called  rose  point. 

In  the  early  settlements  of  Connecticut,  Massachu- 
setts, and  Virginia,  sumptuary  laws  were  passed  to 
restrain  and  attempt  to  prohibit  extravagance  in 
dress.  The  New  England  magistrates  were  curi- 
ously minute  in  description  of  overluxurious  attire, 
and  many  offenders  were  tried  and  fined.  But  vain 
daughters  and  sons  “ psisted  in  fflonting,”  though 
ministers  joined  the  lawmakers  in  solemn  warnings 
and  reprehensions.  Young  girls  were  fined  for  silk 
hoods  and  immoderate  great  sleeves,  and  boldly  ap- 
peared in  court  in  still  richer  attire.  The  Dutch 
never  attempted  or  wished  to  simplify  the  dress 
of  either  men  or  women.  In  New  York  dress  was 
ample,  substantial,  varied  in  texture,  and  variegated 
in  color.  It  ever  formed  a considerable  item  in  per- 
sonal property.  The  children  of  the  Dutch  settlers 
had  plentiful  and  warm  clothing,  and  sometimes  very 
rich  clothing,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  quaint  and  inter- 
esting picture  facing  page  1 6,  of  twin  girls,  the  two 
daughters  of  Abraham  De  Peyster  of  New  York, 
and  his  wife,  Margaret  Van  Cortlandt.  They  are 
dressed  in  red  velvet  trained  gowns,  but  are  bare- 
footed.  They  were  born  December  3,  1724,  and 

Eva 


46 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


Eva  died  in  1729,  a 
month  after  the  por- 
trait was  painted. 
Catherine  was  mar- 
ried on  her  eighteenth 
birthday  to  John  Liv- 
ingstone, son  of  the 
second  lord  of  the 
manor.  Their  son 
had  a daughter 
Catherine,  who  be- 
came the  wife  of  Don 
Mariano  Velasquez 
de  la  Cadenas.  To 
their  daughters,  Mrs. 
Azoyand  Miss  Mari- 
ana Velasquez,  this 
interesting  portrait 
now  belongs. 

The  mother  of 
these  twins  was  the 
daughter  of  Jacobus 
Van  Cortlandt  and 
Eva  De  Vries  Philipse.  The  names  of  Eva  and 
Catherine  have  ever  been  given  to  the  little  daugh- 
ters of  these  allied  families,  and  are  borne  to-day 
by  many  of  their  descendants. 


Infant’s  Robe,  Cap,  and  Christening 
Blanket 


Another 


Children’s  Dress 


47 


Another  little  girl  of  Dutch  blood  was  Cathalina 
Post,  who  married  Zegor  Van  Santvoord.  Her  por- 
trait was  painted  in  1750  when  she  was  fourteen  years 
old,  and  is  now  owned  by  Dr.  Van  Santvoord  of 
Kingston-on-Hudson,  New  York.  A copy  of  this 
quaint  old  picture  faces  page  204.  It  is  most  inter- 
esting in  costume ; the  head-gear  showing  distinct 
Dutch  influence. 

There  is  a suggestion  of  earrings  in  this  portrait,  and 
Katherine  Ten  Broeck,  another  child  of  Dutch  blood, 
but  three  years  old,  wears  earrings.  The  reproduction 
of  her  portrait,  given  opposite  page  192,  shows  these 
jewels  but  dimly,  but  they  are  visible  in  the  origi- 
nal oil-painting.  She  was  born  in  Albany  in  1715. 
The  portrait  is  marked  7Etats  Sua,  3 Years,  1719. 
She  was  married  to  John  Livingstone,  and  lived  to 
become  a stately  old  dame,  receiving  formally  on 
New  Year’s  Day  her  grandchildren,  who  always 
greeted  her  in  Dutch  learned  for  the  special  occasion. 

The  devastations  of  two  wars  (and  in  some  locali- 
ties three) — destruction  by  fire  and  earthquake — have 
sadly  destroyed  the  cherished  relics  of  many  southern 
homes.  From  Mrs.  St.  Julian  Ravenel  of  Charles- 
ton, South  Carolina,  the  delightful  biographer  of 
that  delightful  colonial  dame,  Eliza  Lucas  Pinck- 
ney, come  two  portraits  of  children  of  the 
Huguenot  settlers.  The  picture  facing  page  48  of 

Ellinor 


48 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


Ellinor  Cordes  of  St.  John’s,  Berkeley  County, 
South  Carolina,  painted  about  1740,  shows  a lovely 
little  child  ot  French  features,  and  French  dainti- 
ness of  dress,  albeit  a bright  yellow  brocaded  satin 
would  seem  rather  gorgeous  attire  for  a girl  but  two 
years  old.  Opposite  page  50  is  a picture  of  Daniel 
Ravenel  of  Wantoot,  St.  John’s,  Berkeley  County, 
South  Carolina,  who  was  born  in  1760,  and  was 
about  five  years  old  when  this  portrait  was  painted  ; 
though  he  still  wears  what  might  be  termed  a frock 
with  petticoats,  there  is  a decided  boyishness  in  the 
waistcoat  with  its  silver  buttons  and  lace,  and  the 
befrogged  overcoat  with  broad  cuffs  and  wrist  ruf- 
fles, and  a turned-over  revers,  and  narrow  linen 
inner  collar.  It  is  an  exceptionally  pleasing  boy’s 
dress  for  a little  child. 

Two  portraits  of  Flagg  children  painted,  it  is 
said,  by  Smibert,  must  be  among  his  latest  por- 
traits, for  the  baby,  Polly  Flagg,  was  born  in  Boston 
in  1750,  and  Smibert  died  in  1751.  The  portrait 
facing  page  1 84  shows,  as  may  be  seen,  a dear  little 
baby  not  a year  old,  in  baby  dress  and  cap,  clasp- 
ing a toy.  It  is  marked  on  the  back  Mrs.  Polly 
Hurd;  for  the  little  girl  lived  to  be  the  wife  and 
widow  of  Dr.  Wilder  of  Lancaster,  Massachusetts, 
and  of  Dr.  H urd  of  Concord,  Massachusetts.  Of 
equal  interest  is  the  severely  beautiful  face  of  James 

Flagg 


Ellinor  Cordes,  Two  Years  Old,  1740 


Children’s  Dress 


49 


Flagg,  her  brother,  shown  opposite  page  1 8 8 . He 
was  born  in  1739,  and  was  'n  ct  coats  ” when  this 
portrait  was  painted.  These  portraits  are  owned  by 
Mrs.  Albert  Thorndike  of  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
the  great-granddaughter  of  Griselda  Apthorpe  Flagg, 
the  sister  of  these  two  children. 

The  portrait  of  Jonathan  Mountfort,  given  oppo- 
site page  58,  has  a special  interest  to  the  art  stu- 
dent, since  it  is  a specimen  of  Copley’s  early  work. 
The  boy  was  born  December  6,  1746,  and  was 
seven  vears  old  when  the  portrait  was  painted.  He 
married  Mary  Bole,  a Newfoundland  girl,  whose 
father  sent  her  to  a school  in  Halifax,  under  the 
charge  of  Captain  Shepherd  of  Medford,  Massa- 
chusetts. Finding  Halifax  in  a state  of  blockade, 
the  captain  took  the  little  girl  to  Boston.  He  and 
his  wife  were  childless  and  became  deeply  attached 
to  her  and  finally  adopted  her.  She  became  en- 
gaged to  Dr.  Mountfort,  and  went  to  visit  her 
parents  in  Ireland,  whither  they  had  removed. 
On  her  return,  bringing  with  her  the  gifts,  ward- 
robe, and  household  furnishings  of  a bride  of  that 
period,  she  came  into  Boston  harbor  only  to  be 
wrecked  in  sight  of  the  town.  The  ship’s  mate 
swam  with  her  to  the  lighthouse,  and  the  two  were 
the  only  ones  saved.  Captain  Shepherd  gave  her  a 
house  and  fresh  outfit,  and  she  married  Dr.  Mount- 
* fort. 


5° 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


fort.  They  had  seven  children,  but  the  name  of 
Mountfort  is  now  extinct.  Their  daughter  Eliza- 
beth married  Major  Thomas  Pitts,  whose  daugh- 
ter is  now  Mrs.  Farlin  of  Detroit,  Michigan,  the 
present  owner  of  this  interesting  portrait. 

An  altogether  charming  group  of  children,  facing 
page  54,  two  sisters  and  two  brothers  of  Governor 
Christopher  Gore  (seventh  governor  of  Massachu- 
setts), was  painted  about  the  year  1754,  by  Copley. 
The  mature  little  girl  ol  this  picture,  Frances,  mar- 
ried Thomas  Crafts,  colonel  of  the  regiment  of  which 
Paul  Revere  was  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  Revo- 
lution. Colonel  and  Mrs.  Crafts  were  the  great- 
grandparents  ol  the  present  owners,  Miss  Julia 
G.  Robins  and  Miss  Susan  P.  B.  Robins.  This 
picture  was  for  a time  in  the  Boston  Museum  ol 
Art,  and  on  returning  it  General  Loring  wrote, 
“ I shall  miss  the  little  grown-ups  — were  there  no 
children  in  those  days  ? ” This  look  of  maturity 
seems  universal  to  all  these  portraits.  I have  pho- 
tographs of. several  other  groups  of  children,  one 
of  the  most  charming,  that  of  the  Grymes  chil- 
dren, now  in  the  Capitol  at  Richmond,  Virginia; 
but  they  are  all  too  darkened  with  age  to  admit  of 
proper  or  adequate  reproduction,  and  must  be  left 
out  of  these  pages.  The  baby  in  the  Grymes  group 
is  truly  a baby,  not  a cc  grown-up.” 


The 


Daniel  Ravenel,  Five  Years  Old,  1765 


Children’s  Dress 


5‘ 


Child’s  Shoes 


The  handsomest  of  all  the  boy-portraits  of  colo- 
nial days  is  that  of  Samuel  Pemberton,  by  Black- 
burn ; it  is  perfect  in  feature  and  expression  ; though 
he  is  but  twelve  years  old  he  wears  a wig.  It  was 
painted  in  1736,  and  boys  of  good  family  then  wore 
costly  wigs.  Mr.  Freeman  of  Portland,  Maine,  had 
in  his  book  of  expenses  of  the  year  1750,  such  items 
as  these : — 

“ Shaving  my  three  sons  at  sundry  times  . £5.  14^ 
Expenses  for  James’  Wig  . . .9. 

” ” Samuel’s  Wig  . . .9. 

The  three  sons  — Samuel,  James,  and  William  — 
were  aged  eleven,  nine,  and  seven  years.  The  shav- 
ing 


52 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

ing  was  of  their  heads.  Slaves  of  fashion  were 
parents  of  that  day  to  bedeck  their  boys  with  such 
rich  wigs. 

A more  exquisite  portrait  than  that  of  Thomas 
Aston  Coffin,  opposite  page  222,  can  scarcely  be 
found.  It  is  painted  in  Copley’s  best  manner 
(shown  in  the  highest  perfection  in  the  portrait  of 
his  daughter  Elizabeth).  A light-hued  satin  petti- 
coat-front shows  under  a rich  full-skirted  satin  over- 
dress which  brushes  the  ground.  The  pretty  satin 
sleeves  have  white  under-sleeves  and  wrist  ruffles, 
but  the  neck  is  cut  very  low  and  round.  The  child 
holds  two  pigeons  by  a leash,  and  a feathered  hat  is  - 
bv  his  side.  This  portrait  was  much  loved  by  its 
late  owner,  Miss  Anne  S.  Robbins  of  Boston. 

'Phis  charming  picture  of  the  Peppered  children, 
facing  page  214,  was  believed  to  be  by  Copley,  and 
included  in  Mr.  Perkins’  list.  At  present  this 
authorship  is  doubted.  It  is  owned  by  Miss  Alice 
Longfellow  of  Cambridge,  having  been  bought  by 
her  father,  the  poet,  from  the  owner  of  the  Ports- 
mouth Museum,  who  had  in  some  singular  way 
acquired  it.  The  children  are  William,  son  of  the 
second  Sir  William  Peppered,  and  his  sister  Elizabeth 
Royal  Peppered,  who  married  Rev.  Elenry  Hutton. 

A bright-eyed  little  girl,  Mary  Lord,  has  her 
portrait,  given  opposite  page  66,  hanging  in  the 


rooms 


Children’s  Dress 


S3 


rooms  of  the  Connecticut  Historical  Society.  She 
was  born  in  1702,  in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  and 
married,  in  1724,  Colonel  Joseph  Pitkin  of  Hart- 
ford. By  her  side  hangs  the  picture  of  Colonel 
Wadsworth  and  his  son,  shown  opposite  page  316. 
It  is  the  one  which  the  artist  Trumbull  took  to  Sir 
Joshua  Reynolds  for  advice  and  comment.  He  was 
snubbed  with  the  snappish  criticism  that  “ the  coat 
looked  like  bent  tin.”  Other  criticism  might  be 
made  on  the  anatomical  proportions  of  the  subjects. 

Copley’s  genius  is  shown  in  the  fine  portrait  of 
William  Verstile,  facing  page  210,  painted  in  1769. 
There  is  one  little  glimpse  of  this  boy’s  boyhood 
which  has  so  human  an  element,  is  so  fully  in  touch 
with  modern  life,  that  I give  it.  It  is  from  an  old 
letter  written  by  his  mother,  during  a visit  in  Boston, 
where  possibly  this  very  portrait  was  painted.  It 
shows  the  beginning  of  tastes  which  found  ample 
scope  in  his  services  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 

“Boston,  June  11,  1766. 

“ My  Dear  these  leaves  me  and  my  friends  as  I hope 
they  will  find  you  for  health.  I was  obliged  to  stay  a 
fortnight  as  I didn’t  set  out  till  the  middle  of  the  week 
from  Weathersfield,  was  obliged  to  tarry  here  a fortnight 
on  account  of  coming  with  the  Post.  We  got  down  safe 
we  got  into  Boston  Wednesday  afternoon  at  four  o Clock. 
The  Horse  seem’d  to  enter  Boston  as  free  & fresh  as  when 

he 


54 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


he  first  set  out  from  home.  Mr.  Lowder  says  he  is  a 
prime  horse.  He  wasn’t  galled  or  fretted  in  the  least  but 
would  have  come  right  back  again.  I was  a good  deal 
worried  as  Billey  didn’t  fill  the  chaise  no  more,  the  horse 
might  have  brought  three  as  well  as  two  & not  have  felt  it. 
I have  had  but  very  little  Comfort  since  I have  bin  here  on 
account  of  Billey  as  there’s  so  much  powderwork  going  on 
among  the  Children  since  the  Illumination  Billey  has  bin 
very  forward  of  firing  iron  guns.  Since  we’ve  bin  here  its 
not  only  the  powder  amongst  the  Children  but  the  wharfes 
being  so  neare  he’s  down  there  continually.  Johnny  Brad- 
ford & Ned  & Dan  Warner  and  Billey  was  down  the 
wharfe  together  when  a boy  push’d  Dan  over  & lik’d  to 
bin  drown’d  & might  bin  Billey  so  I can’t  take  much  com- 
fort on  leaving  of  him  but  shall  bring  him,  you  needn’t  be 
Concern’d  about  threes  coming  up  as  Mr.  Hide  tells  me 
Billey  may  ride  behind  him  if  he’s  a mind  to.” 

Billey  became  a portrait  painter  himself,  and  got 
lour  guineas  apiece  for  his  miniatures.  He  early 
showed  artistic  predilections,  and  these  tastes  were 
well  supplied.  Interspersed  with  pumps  and  hose 
and  hats  for  Billey  are  found  in  his  father’s  purchases 
“brass  deviders,”  scales,  “books  for  limning,”  two 
dozen  “hair  pencils,”  and  “ i box  painter’s  collurs 
on  glass,”  which  cost  twelve  shillings. 

I don’t  know  who  taught  Billey  limning.  There 
was  a funny  book  in  circulation  among  students  in 
that  day.  It  was  written  in  serious  intent,  but  its 

rules 


Gore  Children.  1754 


Children’s  Dress 


55 


rules  read  as  though  they  were  dictated  by  Oliver 
Herford.  It  was  entitled  Every  Young  Man  s Com- 
panion in  Drawing.  Here  are  a few  of  its  instruc- 
tions to  young  artists:  — 

“Make  your  outlines,  which  may  be  mended  occasionally. 

“From  the  Elbow  to  the  Root  of  the  Little  Finger  is 
Two  Noses. 

“ The  Thumb  contains  a Nose. 

“The  Inside  of  Arm  to  Middle  of  Arm  is  Four  Noses.” 

The  crowning  glory  of  the  Copley  portraits  is  the 
charming  family  group  opposite  page  180,  depicting 
Copley  himself,  his  beautiful  wife,  his  dignified 
lather-in-law,  and  his  lovely  children.  It  is  now 
exhibited  in  the  Boston  Museum  of  Fine  Arts. 
This  group  seems  perfect,  and  the  quaint  figure 
of  the  child  Elizabeth  Copley,  in  the  foreground, 
is  worthy  the  brush  of  Van  Dyck'. 

Colonel  John  Lewis,  one  of  the  old  Virginia 
gentlemen,  had  two  child  wards.  As  befitted  young 
gentlefolk  of  that  day  of  opulence  and  extravagance, 
they  had  their  dress  from  England.  In  1736,  when 
Robert  Carter,  the  younger  child,  was  about  nine 
years  old,  suits  ot  fine  holland,  laced,  and  of  red 
worsted  and  of  green  German  serge  came  across 
seas  for  him,  with  laced  hats  with  loops  and  but- 
tons. When  he  was  twelve  years  old  part  ol  his 

“ winter 


56  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

“ winter  cloathes  ” were  six  pair  of  shoes  and  two 
of  pumps,  four  pair  of  worked  hose  and  four  of 
thread  hose,  gloves,  hats,  and  shoe  buckles.  His 
sister  Betty  had  a truly  fashionable  wardrobe,  and 
the  stiff,  restrictive  dress  of  the  times  was  indicated 
by  the  items  of  stays,  hoops,  masks,  and  fans. 
When  “ Miss  Custis  ” was  but  four  years  old 
George  Washington  ordered  for  her  from  England 
packthread  stays,  stiffened  coats,  a large  number  of 
gloves  and  masks. 

An  order  for  purchases  sent  to  a London  agent  by 
Washington  in  1761  contains  a full  list  of  garments 
for  both  his  step-children.  “ Miss  Custis  ” was 
then  six  years  old.  These  are  some  of  the  items:  — 

“ 1 Coat  made  of  Fashionable  Silk. 

A Fashionable  Cap  or  fillet  with  Bib  apron. 

Ruffles  and  Tuckers,  to  be  laced. 

4 Fashionable  Dresses  made  of  Long  Lawn. 

2 Fine  Cambrick  Frocks. 

A Satin  Capuchin,  hat,  and  neckatees. 

A Persian  Quilted  Coat. 

1 p.  Pack  Thread  Stays. 

4 p.  Callimanco  Shoes. 

6 p.  Leather  Shoes. 

2 p.  Satin  Shoes  with  flat  ties. 

6 p.  Fine  Cotton  Stockings. 

4 p.  White  Worsted  Stockings. 

12  p.  Mitts. 


Children’s  Dress 


57 


6 p.  White  Kid  Gloves, 
i p.  Silver  Shoe  Buckles, 
i p.  Neat  Sleeve  Buttons. 

6 Handsome  Egrettes  Different  Sorts. 

6 Yards  Ribbon  for  Egrettes. 

12  Yards  Coarse  Green  Callimanco.” 

There  is  a large-headed  portrait  of  the  Custis 
children  which  was  painted  at  about  this  time.  A 
copy  of  it  is  shown  opposite  page  250.  While  the 
dress  of  both  children  is  mature,  it  is  not  so  elegant 
as  might  be  expected  from  the  rich  garments  which 
were  imported  for  them. 

Sir  William  Peppered  ordered,  in  1737,  equally 
costly  and  formal  clothing  from  England  for  his 
little  daughter  to  disport  at  Piscataquay.  Stays  and 
masks  are  ever  on  the  lists  of  little  gentlewomen. 
A letter  of  the  day  tells  of  seeing  the  youthful 
daughter  of  Governor  Tryon  sitting  stiffly  in  a 
chair,  in  broad  lace  collar,  with  heavy  dress,  never 
playing,  running,  or  even  walking. 

Delicacy  of  figure  and  whiteness  of  complexion 
were  equal  fetiches  with  colonial  mammas.  Little 
Dolly  Payne,  afterward  Dolly  Madison,  wore  long 
gloves,  a linen  mask,  and  had  a sunbonnet  sewed 
on  her  head  every  morning  by  her  devoted  mother. 
Very  thin  shoes  of  silk,  morocco,  or  light  stuff  un- 
fitted little  girls  for  any  very  active  exercise  ; these 


were 


58 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


were  high-heeled.  A tiny  pair  ot  shoes  for  a little 
girl  of  three  are  shown  on  page  51.  I have  seen 
children’s  stays,  made  of  heavy  strips  of  board  and 
steel,  tightly  wrought  with  heavy  buckram  or  canvas 
into  an  iron  frame  like  an  instrument  of  torture. 

These  had  been  worn  by  a little  girl  five  years  old. 
Staymakers  advertised  stays,  jumps,  gazzets,  cos- 
trells,  and  caushets  (which  were  doubtless  corsets) 
for  ladies  and  children,  “ to  make  them  appear 
strait.”  And  I have  been  told  of  tin  corsets  for 
little  girls,  but  I have  never  seen  any  such  abomi- 
nations. One  pair  of  stays  was  labelled  as  hav- 
ing been  worn  by  a boy  when  five  years  old. 

There  certainly  is  a suspicious  suggestion  in  some 
of  these  little  fellows’  portraits  of  whalebone  and 
buckram. 

In  the  sprightly  descriptions  given  by  Anna  Green 
Winslow  of  her  own  dress  we  see  with  much  distinct- 
ness the  little  girl  of  twelve  of  the  year  1771:  — 

“I  was  dress’d  in  my  yellow  coat,  my  black  bib  & 
apron,  my  pompedore  shoes,  the  cap  my  aunt  Storer  some- 
time since  presented  me  with  blue  ribbins  on  it,  a very 
handsome  loket  in  the  shape  of  a hart,  the  paste  pin  my 
Hon’d  Papa  presented  me  with  in  my  cap,  my  new  cloak 
& bonnet  on,  my  pompedore  gloves,  and  I would  tell  you 
they  all  lik’d  my  dress  very  much.”  . . . u I was  dress’d  in 
my  yellow  coat,  black  bib  and  apron,  black  feathers  on  my 

head, 


Jonathan  Mountfort,  Seven  Years  Old,  1753 


Children’s  Dress 


59 


head,  my  paste  comb,  all  my  paste,  garnet,  marquasett,  and 
jet  pins,  together  with  my  silver  plume,  — my  loket  rings, 
black  coller  round  my  neck,  black  mitts,  2 or  3 yards  of 
blue  ribbin,  striped  tucker  & rufFels  & my  silk  shoes  com- 
pleated  my  dress.” 

It  would  seem  somewhat  puzzling  to  fancy  how, 
with  a little  girl’s  soft  hair,  the  astonishing  and 
varied  head-gear  named  above  could  be  attached. 
Little  Anna  gives  a full  description  of  the  way  her 
hair  was  dressed  over  a high  roll,  so  heavy  and  hot 
that  it  made  her  head  “itch  & ach  & burn  like 
anything.”  She  tells  of  the  height  of  her  head- 
gear:  — 

u When  it  first  came  home,  Aunt  put  it  on  & my 
new  cap  on  it;  she  then  took  up  her  apron  & measur’d 
me,  & from  the  roots  of  my  hair  on  my  forehead  to  the 
top  of  my  notions,  I measur’d  above  an  inch  longer  than 
I did  downwards  from  the  roots  of  my  hair  to  the  end 
of  my  chin.” 

Her  picture,  shown  facing  page  164,1s  taken  from 
a miniature  painted  when  she  was  a few  years  older. 
The  roll  is  more  modest  in  size,  and  the  decorations 
are  fewer  in  number.  Each  year  the  “ head-equi- 
page ” diminished,  till  cropped  heads  were  seen,  with 
a shock  of  tight  curls  on  the  forehead  — an  incredi- 
bly disfiguring  mode. 


In 


6 o 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


In  the  chapter  upon  the  school  life  of  girls  a letter 
is  given  describing  the  dress  of  two  young  girls  who 
were  boarding  in  Boston  while  they  were  being 
taught.  There  is  no  doubt  that  very  rich  dress  was 
desired,  and  possibly  required  of  these  young  scholar- 
boarders.  The  oft-quoted  letter  in  regard  to  Miss 
Huntington’s  wardrobe  shows  the  elegance  of  dress 
of  those  schoolgirls.  She  had  twelve  silk  gowns; 
but  word  was  sent  home  to  Norwich  that  a recently 
imported  rich  fabric  was  most  suitable  for  her  rank 
and  station  ; and  in  answer  to  the  teacher’s  request 
the  parents  ordered  the  purchase  of  this  elegant 
dress. 

When  cotton  fabrics  from  Oriental  countries  be- 
came everywhere  and  every  time  worn, children’s  dress, 
as  likewise  that  of  grown  folk,  was  much  reduced  in 
elegance  as  it  was  in  warmth.  Hoops  disappeared 
and  heavy  petticoats  also  ; the  soft  slimsy  clinging 
stuff's,  suitable  only  for  summer  wear,  were  not  dis- 
carded in  winter.  Boys  wore  nankeen  suits  the  en- 
tire year.  Calico  and  chintz  were  fashioned  into 
trousers  and  jackets.  A little  suit  is  shown,  facing 
page  60,  made  of  figured  calico  of  high  colors, 
which  it  is  stated  was  worn  in  1784.  The  labels  are 
very  exact  and  the  labellers  very  cautious  of  the 
Deerfield  Memorial  Hall  collection,  else  I should 
assign  this  suit  to  a ten  or  even  twenty  years’  later 

date. 


Boy’s  Suit  of  Clothing,  1784 


Children’s  Dress 


6 1 

date.  Children  must  have  suffered  sadly  with  the 
cold  in  this  age  of  cotton.  Girls’  dresses  were  half 
low-necked,  and  were  filled  in  with  a thin  tucker ; 
separate  sleeves  were  tied  in  at  the  arm  size,  and 
often  long-armed  mitts  of  nankeen  or  linen  took 
the  place  of  the  sleeves. 

A family  of  Cary  children  had  several  charming 
portraits  painted  in  London.  Two  of  them  are 
given  opposite  pages  240  and  246.  They  note  the 
transitions  of  costume  which  came  at  the  approach  of 
the  close  of  the  century.  The  portrait  of  the  boy  is 
interesting  in  a special  point  of  costume  ; it  shows  the 
abandonment  of  the  cocked  hat  and  adoption  of  the 
simpler  modern  form  of  head-covering.  The  little 
girl,  Margaret,  has  a most  roguish  expression,  which 
is  suggestive  of  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds’  Girl  with 
the  Mouse  Trap.  The  resemblance  is  even  more 
marked  in  the  portrait  of  the  same  child  at  the  age 
of  six,  wherein  the  eyes  and  half-smile  are  charm- 
ingly engaging;  unfortunately  the  photograph  from 
that  portrait  is  not  clear  enough  for  satisfactory 
reproduction. 

A demure  little  brother  and  sister  were  the  chil- 
dren of  General  Stephen  Rowe  Bradley  of  Westmin- 
ster, Vermont,  whose  portraits  face  pages  356  and 
378.  These  were  painted  soon  after  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  show  the  definite  changes  in  dress  which 

set 


6 2 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


set  in  with  other  Republican  institutions.  At 
this  date  there  began  to  be  worn  a special  dress 
for  both  boys  and  girls.  Until  then,  as  soon  as  a 
boy  put  on  breeches  he  dressed  precisely  like  his 
father  — in  miniature.  By  tradition  Marie  Antoi- 
nette was  the  first  who  had  a special  dress  made 
for  her  young  son.  And  sadly  was  she  reviled  for 
dressing  her  poor  little  Dauphin  in  jacket 
and  trousers  instead  of  flapped 
coat,  waistcoat,  and 
knee-breeches. 


CHAPTER  III 


SCHOOLS  AND  SCHOOL  LIFE 


First  mark  zvhereof  scholes  were  erected, 

And  ivhat  the  founders  did  intend. 

And  then  doe  thou  thy  study  directc 
Fur  to  obtain  unto  that  end. 

Doubtless  this  was  all  their  meaning. 

To  have  their  countrie  founded 

With  all  poyntes  of  honest  lernynge 
Whereof  the  public  weal  had  nede. 

— Tbc  Last  Trumpet.  R.  Crowley,  eyjo. 

T O greater  contrast  of  conditions  could  exist 
than  between  the  school  life  of  what  we 
love  to  call  the  “ good  old  times,”  and  that 
of  the  far  better  times  of  to-day.  Poor,  small,  and 
uncomfortable  schoolhouses,  scant  furnishings,  few 
and  uninteresting  books,  tiresome  and  indifferent 
methods  of  teaching,  great  severity  of  discipline, 
were  the  accompaniments  of  school  days  until  this 
century,  let  with  all  these  disadvantages  children 
obtained  an  education,  for  an  education  was  warmly 
desired;  no  difficulties  could  chill  that  deep-lying 

63  longing 


6 4 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


longing  for  learning.  “ Child,”  said  one  noble 
New  England  mother  of  the  olden  days,  “if  God 
make  thee  a good  Christian  and  a good  scholar, 
’tis  all  thy  mother  ever  asked  for  thee.” 

Not  only  did  parents  strive  for  the  education  of 
their  children,  but  the  colonies  assisted  by  command- 
ing the  building  and  maintaining  of  a school  in  each 
town  where  there  was  a sufficient  number  of  families 
and  scholars.  Rhode  Island  was  the  only  New 
England  colony  that  did  not  compel  the  building 
of  schoolhouses  and  the  education  of  children.  • 

So  determined  was 'Massachusetts  to  have  schools 
that  in  1636,  only  six  years  after  the  settlement  of 
Boston,  the  General  Court,  which  was  composed  of 
representatives  from  every  settlement  in  the  Bay 
Colony,  and  which  was  the  same  as  our  H ouse  of 
Representatives  to-day,  gave  over  half  the  annual 
income  of  the  entire  colony  to  establish  the  school 
which  two  years  later  became  Harvard  College^ 
This  event  should  be  remembered ; (it  is  distin- 
guished in  history  as  the  first  time  any  body  of 
people  in  any  country  ever  gave  through  its  repre- 
sentatives its  own  money  to  found  a place  of 
education. 

In  Virginia  schoolhouses  were  few  for  over  a cen- 
tury. Governor  Berkeley,  an  obstinate  and  narrow- 
minded Englishman,  wrote  home  to  England  in  1670, 

“I 


Schools  and  School  Life 


65 


“ I thank  God  there  are  in  Virginia  no  free  schools 
nor  printing,  and  1 hope  we  shall  not  have,  for  leafn- 
ing  hath  brought  disobedience  and  heresy  into  the 
world.”  Some  Virginia  gentlemen  did  not  agree 
with  him,  however,  and  gave  money  to  try  to  estab- 
lish free  schools  for  poor  children.  A far  greater 
hindrance  to  the  establishment  of  schools  than  the 
governor’s  stupid  opposition,  was  the  fact  that  there 
was  no  town  or  village  life  in  Virginia;  the  houses 
and  plantations  were  scattered  ; previous  to  the  year 
1700  Jamestown  was  the  only  Virginia  town,  and 
it  was  but  a petty  settlement.  Williamsburg  was 
not  even  laid  out ; a few  seaports  had  been  planned, 
but  had  not  been  built.  Hence  the  children  of 
wealthy  planters  were  taught  by  private  tutors  at 
home,  or  were  sent  to  school  in  England. 

Occasionally,  as  years  passed  on,  there  might  be 
found  in  Virginia,  the  Carolinas,  and  Georgia,  what 
was  called  an 'bid-field  school,  the  uniting  of  a few 
neighbors  to  hire  a teacher,  too  often  a poor 
one,  like  the  “ hedge-teachers  ” of  Europe,  for  a 
short  term  of  teaching,  in  a shabby  building  placed 
on  an  old  exhausted  tobacco  field. 

In  one  of  these  old-field  schools  kept  by  Hobby — 
sexton,  pedagogue,  and  “ the  most  conceited  man  in 
three  parishes” — George  Washington  obtained  most 
of  his  education.  A daily  ride  on  horseback  for  a 
T year 


66 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Da 


lys 

year  to  a similar  school  ten  miles  away,  and  for 
another  year  a row  morning  and  night  even  in 
roughest  weather  across  the  river  to  a Fredericks- 
burg teacher,  ended  his  school  career  when  he  was 
thirteen  ; but  he  had  then  made  a big  pile  of  neatly 
written  manuscript  school  books,  which  may  now 
be  seen  in  the  Library  at  Washington  ; and  he  had 
acquired  a passionate  longing  to  be  educated,  which 
accompanied  him  through  life. 

An  “ advisive  narrative  ” sent  from  America  to 
the  Bishop  of  London,  toward  the  end  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  says:  — 

“ This  lack  of  schools  in  Virginia  is  a consequence  of 
their  scattered  planting.  It  renders  a very  numerous  gener- 
ation of  Christian’s  Children  born  in  Virginia,  who  natu- 
rally are  of  beautiful  and  comely  Persons,  and  generally  of 
more  ingenious  Spirits  than  those  in  England,  unservice- 
able for  any  great  Employment  .in  Church  or  State.” 

This  statement  was  not  wholly  correct ; for  though 
Virginians  were  not  usually  fitted  to  be  parsons,  they 
certainly  proved  suited  to  state  and  government. 
When  the  war  of  the  Revolution  broke  out,  the 
noblest  number  of  great  statesmen,  orators,  and 
generals,  who  certainly  were  men  of  genius  if  not 
of  conventional  school  education,  came  from  the 
southern  provinces.  These  brilliant  Virginians  were 

strong 


/ 


Mary  Lore},  1710  circa 


Schools  and  School  Life 


67 


strong  evidence  and  proof  of  what'  the  great  orator, 
Patrick  Henry,  called,  in  his  singular  pronunciation, 
“ naiteral  pairts  ” ; which  he  declared  was  of  more 
account  than  “all  the  book-lairnin’  on  the  airth.” 
Different  climates  and  surroundings  soon  bring  out 
different  traits  in  the  same  race  of  people.  The 
warm  climate  and  fruitful  soil  in  the  southern  colo- 
nies developed  from  English  stock  an  easy-living 
race  who  needed  the  great  stimulus  and  noble  ex- 
citement of  the  Revolution  to  exhibit  the  highest 
qualities  of  brain,  ^Phe  Puritan  minister,  Cotton 
Mather,  said  in  1685,  in  a sermon  before  the  Gov- 
ernor and  Council  in  Massachusetts,  “ The  Youth 
in  this  Country  are  verie  Sharp  and  early  Ripe  in 
their  Capacities.”  Thus  speedily  had  keen  /New 
England  air  and  hard  New  England  life  developed 
these  characteristic  New  England  traits. 

New  England  at  that  time  was  controlled,  both 
in  public  and  private  life,  by  the  Puritan  ministers, 
who  felt,  as  one  of  them  said,  that  “ unless  school 
and  college  flourish,  church  and  state  cannot  live.” 
The  ministers  were  accredited  guardians  of  the 
schools  ; and  when  Boston  chose  five  school  in- 
spectors to  visit  the  Latin  School  with  the  ministers, 
many  of  the  latter  were  highly  incensed,  and  In- 
crease Mather  refused  to  go  with  these  lay  visitors. 

By  a law  of  Massachusetts,  passed  in  1647,  it 


was 


68  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

was  ordered  that  every  town  of  fifty  families  should 
provide  a school  where  children  could  be  taught  to 
read  and  write  ; while  every  town  of  one  hundred 
householders  was  required  to  have  a grammar  school. 
In  the  Connecticut  Code  of  Laws  of  1650  were  the 
same  orders.  \These  schools  were  public,  but  were 
not  frb^  ; they  were  supported  at  the  expense  of  the 
parents] 

In  1644  the  town  of  Salem  ordered  “ that  a note 
be  published  the  next  lecture  day,  that  such  as  have 
children  to  be  kept  at  school,  would  bring  in  their 
names,  and  what  they  will  give  for  a whole  year  ; 
and  also  that  if  any  poor  body  hath  children  or  a 
child  to  be  put  to  school,  and  not  able  to  pay  for 
their  schooling,  that  the  town  will  pay  it  by  a rate.” 
Lists  of  children  were  made  out  in  towns,  and  if  the 
parents  were  well-to-do,  they  had  to  pay  whether 
their  children  attended  school  or  not. 

Land  was  sometimes  set  aside  to  support  partly 
the  school;  it  was  called  the  “school-meadows,” 
or  “ school-fields,”  and  was  let  out  for  an  income  to 
help  to  pay  the  teacher.  This  was  a grant  made  on 
the  same  principle  that  grants  were  made  to  physi- 
cians, tanners,  and  other  useful  persons,  not  to  estab- 
lish free  education.  At  a later  date  lotteries  were 
a favorite  method  of  raising  money  for  schools. 

It  was  (not  until  about  the  time  of  the  Revolution 

that 


Schools  and  School  Life 


69 


that  the  modern  signification  of  the  word  “ free  ” - 
a school  paid  tor  entirely  by  general  town  taxes  — 
could  be  applied  to  the  public  schools  of  most 
Massachusetts  towns]  and  when  the  schools  of  Bos- 
ton were  made  free,  that  community  stood  alone 
for  its  liberality  not  only  in  America,  but  in  the 
world. 

1'he  pay  was  given  in  any  of  the  inconvenient 
exchanges  which  had  to  pass  as  money  at  that  time, — 
in  wampum,  beaver  skins,  Indian  corn,  wheat,  peas, 
beans,  or  any  country  product  known  as  “ truck.” 
It  is  told  of  a Salem  school,  that  one  scholar  was 
always  seated  at  the  window  to  study  and  also  to  hail 
passers-bv,  and  endeavor  to  seP  to  them  the  accumu- 
lation of  corn,  vegetables,  etc.,  which  had  been  given 
in  payment  to  the  teacher. 

The  logs  for  the  great  fireplace  were  furnished  by 
the  parents  or  guardians  of  the  scholars  as  a part 
of  the  pay  for  schooling  ; and  an  important  part 
it  was  in  the  northern  colonies,  in  the  bitter  win- 
ter, in  the  poorly  built  schoolhouses.  Some  school- 
masters, indignant  at  the  carelessness  of  parents 
who  failed  to  send  the  expected  load  of  wood 
early  in  the  winter,  banished  the  unfortunate  child 
of  the  tardy  parent  to  the  coldest  corner  of  the 
schoolroom.  The  town  of  Windsor,  Connecticut, 
voted  “that  the  committee  be  empowered  to  exclude 

any 


7o 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


any  scholar  that  shall  not  carry  his  share  of  wood 
tor  the  use  of  the  said  school.”  In  1736  West 
H artford  ordered  every  child  “ barred  from  the 
tire”  whose  parents  had  not  sent  wood. 

The  school  laws  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts, 
framed  in  1789,  crystallized  all  the  principles,  prac- 


" Erudition  ” Schoolhouse,  Bath,  Maine,  1797 

tice,  and  hopes  that  had  been  developed  by  a hun- 
dred and  fifty  years  of  school  life.  The  standard  set 
by  these  laws  was  decidedly  lower  than  those  of 
colonial  days.  Where  a permanent  English  school 
had  been  imperative,  six  months  schooling  a year 
might  be  permitted  to  take  its  place  ; where  every 
town  of  a hundred  families  had  had  a grammar 
school  in  which  boys  could  be  fitted  for  the  uni- 
versity,  only  towns  of  two  hundred  families  were 

compelled 


Schools  and  School  Life  71 

compelled  to  have  such  schools.  Thus  the  open 
path  to  the  university  was  closed  in  a hundred  and 
twenty  Massachusetts  towns. 

Judge  Thomas  Holme  composed  in  grammarless 
rhyme,  in  1696,  a True  Relation  of  the  Flourishing 
State  of  Philadelphia.  In  it  he  says:  — 

“Here  are  schools  of  divers  sorts 
To  which  our  youth  daily  resorts. 

Good  women,  who  do  very  well 
Bring  little  ones  to  read  and  spell. 

Which  fits  them  for  writing  ; and  then 
Here’s  men  to  bring  them  to  their  pen. 

And  to  instruct  and  make  them  quick 
In  all  sorts  of  Arithmetick.” 

These  statements  were  scarcely  carried  out  in 
fact;  in  Pennsylvania  educational  advantages  were 
few,  and  among  some  classes  education  was  sorely 
hampered.  The  Quakers  did  not  encourage  abso- 
lute illiteracy,  but  they  thought  knowledge  of  the 
“ three  R’s  ” was  enough  ; they  distinctly  disap- 
proved of  any  extended  scholarship,  as  it  fostered 
undue  pride  and  provoked  idleness.  The  Germans 
were  worse  ; their  own  historians,  the  Calvinist  and 
Lutheran  preachers,  Schlatter  and  Muhlenberg,  are 
authority  ; there  were  among  them  a few  schools  of 
low  grade;  but  the  introduction  of  the  public 
school  system  among  the  Germans  was  resisted  by 

indignation 


72 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


indignation  meetings  and  litigation.  The  Tankers 
degenerated  so  that  they  did  not  desire  a member- 
ship of  educated  persons,  and  would  have  liked  to 
destroy  all  books  but  religious  ones.  It  was  said 
by  these  German  settlers  that  schooling  made  boys 
lazy  and  dissatisfied  on  the  farms,  and  that  religion 
would  suffer  by  too  much  learning.  As  Bayard 
Taylor  puts  it  in  his  Pennsylvania  Farmer:  — 

“ Book  learning  gets  the  upper  hand  and  work  is  slow  and  slack. 
And  they  that  come  long  alter  us  will  find  things  gone  to  wrack.” 


School-teachers  in  the  middle  and  southern  colo- 
nies were  frequently  found  in  degraded  circum- 
imany  of  them  were  redemptioners  and 


stances 


; |m 


exported  convicts^  I have  frequently  noted  such 
newspaper  advertisements  as  this  from  the  Mary- 


land Gazette : — 


“ Ran  away  : A Servant  man  who  followed  the  oc- 
cupation of  a Schoolmaster,  much  given  to  drinking  and 
aamblinp;.” 

O O 


So  universal  was  drunkenness  among  school- 
masters that  a chorus  of  colonial  “gerund-grinders” 
might  sing  in  Goldsmith’s  words:  — 

“Let  schoolmasters  puzzle  their  brains 

With  grammar  and  nonsense  and  learning, 

Good  liquor,  1 stoutly  maintain. 

Gives  genius  a better  discerning.” 


Scotland 


Scotland  furnished  the  best  and  the  largest  number 
of  schoolmasters  to  the  colonies. 


I he  first  pedagogue  of  New  Amsterdam  was  one 

Adam 


74 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


Adam  Roelantsen,  and  he  had  a checkered  career. 
H is  name  appears  with  frequency  on  the  court 
records  of  the  little  town  both  as  plaintiff  and  de- 
fendant. He  was  as  active  in  slandering  his  neigh- 
bors as  they  were  in  slandering  him  ; though,  as 
Miss  Van  Vechten  observes,  “ It  is  hard  to  see 
what  fiction  worse  than  truth  could  have  been 
invented  about  him.”  In  spite  of  the  fact  that 
“people  did  not  speak  well  of  him,”  he  married 
well.  But  his  misdemeanors  continued  and  he  was 
finally  sentenced  to  be  flogged.  We  may  contrast 
the  legal  records  of  this  gentleman’s  shortcomings 
with  his  duties  as  set  forth  in  his  commission,  one 
of  which  was  “ to  set  others  a good  example  as 
becometh  a devout,  pious,  and  worthy  consoler  of 
the  sick,  church  clerk,  precentor,  and  schoolmaster.” 
Some  of  the  contracts  under  which  teachers  were 
hired  still  exist.  One  for  the  teacher  at  the  Dutch 
settlement  of  Flatbush,  Long  Island,  in  1682,  is  very 
full  in  detail,  and  we  learn  much  of  the  old-time 
school  from  it.  A bell  was  rung  to  call  the  scholars 
together  at  eight  o’clock  in  the  morning,  the  school 
closed  for  a recess  at  eleven,  opened  again  at  one, 
closed  at  four;  all  sessions  began  and  closed  with 
prayer.  On  Wednesdays  and  Saturdays  the  children 
were  taught  the  questions  and  answers  in  the  cate- 
chism and  the  common  prayers.  The  master  was 

paid 


Schools  and  School  Life 


75 


paid  (usually  in  wheat  or  corn)  for  “a  speller  or 
reader  ” three  guilders  a quarter,  for  “ a writer  ” four 
guilders.  He  had  many  other  duties  to  perform 
besides  teaching  the  children.  He  rung  the  church 
bell  on  Sunday,  read  the  Bible  at  service  in  church, 
and  led  in  the  singing  ; sometimes  he  read  the  ser- 
mon. He  provided  water  for  baptisms,  bread  and 
wine  for  communion,  and  in  fact  performed  all  the 
duties  now  done  by  a sexton,  including  sweeping 
out  the  church.  He  delivered  invitations  to  funerals 
and  carried  messages.  Sometimes  he  dug  the  graves, 
and  often  he  visited  and  comforted  the  sick. 

Full  descriptions  exist  of  the  first  country  school- 
houses  in  Pennsylvania  and  New  York.  They 
were  universally  made  of  logs.  Some  had  a rough 
puncheon  floor,  others  a dirt  floor  which  readily 
ground  into  dust  two  or  three  inches  thick,  that 
unruly  pupils  would  purposely  stir  up  in  clouds  to 
annoy  the  masters  and  disturb  the  school.  The 
bark  roof  was  a little  higher  at  one  side  that 
the  rain  might  drain  off.  Usually  the  teacher  sat 
in  the  middle  of  the  room,  and  pegs  were  thrust 
between  the  logs  around  the  walls,  three  or  four  feet 
from  the  ground  ; boards  were  laid  on  these  pegs  ; 
at  these  rude  desks  sat  the  older  scholars  with 
their  backs  to  the  teacher.  Younger  scholars  sat  on 
blocks  or  benches  of  logs.  Until  this  century  many 

schoolhouses 


76 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


“Old  Harmony  ” Schoolhouse,  Raritan  Township,  Hunterdon  Co.,  New  Jersey 


schoolhouses  did  not  have  glass  set  in  the  small 
windows,  but  newspapers  or  white  papers  greased 
with  lard  were  fastened  in  the  rude  sashes,  or  in 
holes  cut  in  the  wall,  and  let  in  a dim  light.  At 
one  end,  or  in  the  middle,  a “ cat  and  clay  ” chim- 
ney furnished  a fireplace.  When  the  first  rough 
log  cabin  was  replaced  by  a better  schoolhouse  the 
hexagonal  shape,  so  beloved  in  those  states  for 

meeting-houses. 


Schools  and  School  Life 


77 


meeting-houses,  was  chosen,  and  occasionally  built 
in  stone.  A picture  ot  one  still  standing  and  still 
used  as  a schoolhouse,  in  Raritan,  New  Jersey,  is 
here  shown.  It  retained  its  old  shelf  desks  till  a 
few  years  ago. 

In  a halting  way  schools  in  America  followed  the 
customs  of  English  schools.  The  “potation-penny,” 
or  “ the  drinking,”  was  collected  in  schools  in  the 
colonies.  In  England  a considerable  sum  was  often 
gathered  tor  this  treat  at  the  end  ot  the  term  ; hut 
the  pennies  were  doled  out  more  slowly  in  Ameri- 
can schools.  Young  Joseph  Lloyd  (of  the  family 
ot  Lloyds  Neck  on  Long  Island),  in  the  year  1693, 
paid  out  a shilling  and  sixpence  “ to  the  Mistris  for 
feast  and  wine.”  A century  later,  in  a school  in 
New  Hampshire,  the  children  diligently  saved  the 
wood-ashes  in  the  big  fireplace  and  sold  them  to  a 
neighboring  potash  works  for  their  treat.  They  had 
ample  funds  to  buy  rum,  raisins,  and  gingerbread  for 
all  who  came  to  the  treat,  including  the  ministers 
and  deacons.  It  was  of  this  school,  doubtless  at- 
tended largely  by  Scotch- Irish  children,  that  the 
teacher  recorded  that  the  boys,  even  the  youngest, 
wore  leather  aprons,  while  many  of  the  girls  took 
snuff.  Another  old  English  custom,  the  barring- 
out,  occasionally  was  known  here,  especially  in 
Pennsylvania. 


The 


78 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


The  furnishing  of  the  schoolrooms  was  meagre  ; 
there  were  (no  blackboards,  no  maps,  seldom  was 
there  a pair"  of  globes!)  Though  Mr.  MacMaster 
asserts  that  pencils  were  never  used  even  in  the 
early  years  of  our  Federal  life,  his  statement  is  cer- 
tainly a mistake.  Faber’s  pencils  were  made  as  early 
as  1761.  Peter  Goelet  advertised  lead  pencils  for 
sale  in  New  York  in  1786,  with  india  rubbers,  and 
as  early  as  1740  they  were  offered  among  book- 
sellers’ wares  in  Boston  for  threepence  apiece,  both 
black  and  red  lead.  Judge  Sewall  had  one;  perhaps 
it  was  not  our  common  lead  pencil  of  to-day. 

In  1771  we  find  the  patriot  Henry  Laurens 
writing  thus  to  his  daughter  Martha,  “ his  dearest 
Patsey,”  when  she  was  about  twelve  years  old. 

u . . . I have  recollected  your  request  for  a pair  of  globes, 
therefore  I have  wrote  to  Mr.  Grubb  to  ship  a pair  of  the 
best  18  inch,  with  caps,  and  a book  of  directions,  and  to 
add  a case  of  neat  instruments,  and  one  dozen  Middleton’s 
best  pencils  marked  M.  L.  When  you  are  measuring  the 
surface  of  the  globe  remember  you  are  to  cut  a part  in  it, 
and  think  of  a plum  pudding  and  other  domestic  duties. 
Your  father, 

“Henry  Laurens.” 


Vstill 

in  city  schools  till  this  century). 


lead  pencils  were  not  in  common  use  even 

The  manuscript 
arithmetics 


Samuel  Pemberton,  Twelve  Years  Old,  1736 


Schools  and  School  Life 


79 


arithmetics  or  “ sum-books  ” which  I have  seen 
were  always  done  in  ink.  Many  a country  boy 
grew  to  manhood  without  ever  seeing  a lead  pencil. 

In  country  schools  even  till  the  middle  of  this 
century  copy-books  were  made  of  foolscap  paper 
carefully  sewed  into  book  shape,  and  were  ruled  by 
hand.  For  this  children  used  lead  plummets  in- 
stead of  pencils.  These  plummets  were  made  of 
lead  melted  and  cast  in  wooden  moulds  cut  out  by 
the  ever  ready  jackknife  and  were  then  tied  by  a 
hempen  string  to  the  ruler.  These  plummets  were 
usually  shaped  like  a tomahawk,  and  carefully  whit- 
tled and  trimmed  to  a sharp  edge.  Slightly  varied 
shapes  were  a carpenter’s  or  a woodcutter’s  axe  ; also 
there  were  cannon,  battledores,  and  cylinders. 

Paper  was  scarce  and  too  highly  prized  for  chil- 
dren to  waste;  it  was  a great  burden  even  to 
ministers  to  get  what  paper  they  needed  for  their 
sermons,  and  they  frequently  acquired  microscopic 
hand-writing  for  economy’s  sake.  To  the  forest  the 
scholars  turned  tor  the  ever  plentiful.^  birch  bark, 
which  formed  a delightful  substitute  to  cipher  on 
instead  of  paper.  ) Among  the  thrifty  Scotch -Irish 
settlers  in  New  Hampshire  and  the  planters  in 
Maine,  sets  of  arithmetic  rules  were  copied  by  each 
child  on  birch  bark  and  made  a substantial  text-book. 
Rolls  of  birch  bark  resembling  in  shape  the  parch- 
ment 


8o 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


ment  rolls  of  the  Egyptians  and  lead  plummets 
seem  too  ancient  in  appearance  to  have  been  com- 
monly employed  in  schools  within  a century  in  this 
country. 

It  has  been  asserted  that  school  slates  were  not 
used  till  this  century.  Noah  Webster  says  dis- 
tinctly in  a letter  written  about  the  schools  of  his 
childhood,  that  “before  the  Revolution  and  for 
some  years  after  no  slates  were  used  in  common 
schools.”  S.  Town,  attending  school  in  Belcher- 
town,  Massachusetts,  in  1785,  says  that  slates  were 
unknown. 

I have  seen  but  a single  reference  to  them  in 
America  and  that  is  in  such  an  ingenuous  school- 
boy’s letter  I will  quote  it  in  full:  — 

“To  Mr.  Cornelius  Ten  Broeck. 

att  Albany. 

“Stamford,  the  13th  Day  of  October,  1752. 

“Honored  Fethar, 

“These  fiew  Lines  comes  to  let  you  know  that 
I am  in  a good  State  of  Health  and  I hope  this  may  find 
you  also.  I have  found  all  the  things  in  my  trunk  but  I 
must  have  a pare  of  Schuse.  And  mama  please  to  send 
me  some  Ches  Nutts  and  some  Wall  Nutts;  you  please  to 
send  me  a Slate,  and  som  pensals,  and  please  to  send  me 
some  smok  befe,  and  for  bringing  my  trunk  3/9,  and  for  a 
pare  of  Schuse  9 shillings.  You  please  to  send  me  a pare 

of 


Schools  and  School  Life 


of  indin’s  Schuse.  You  please  to  send  me  som  dride  corn. 
My  Duty  to  Father  and  Mother  and  Sister  and  to  all  frinds. 

“ I am  your  Dutyfull  Son, 

“John  Ten  Broeck. 

“ Father  forgot  to  send  me  my  Schuse.” 

In  an  advertisement  of  an  English  bookseller  of 
the  year  1737,  one  James  Marshal  of  the  Bible  and 
Sun  at  Stockton  are  named  Slate  Pocket  Books, 
Slates,  and  Slate  Pens.  The  first  slates  were  frame- 
less, and  had  a hole  pierced  at  one  side  on  which 
a pencil  could  be  hung,  or  by  which  they  could  be 
suspended  around  the  neck.  An  old  gentleman 
told  me  that  he  distinctly  recalled  the  first  time  he 
ever  saw  slates  in  school.  The  master  brought  in 
a score  that  had  been  ordered  to  supply  his  pupils. 
He  asked  if  any  scholar  had  a bit  of  string.  My 
old  gentleman  thrust  his  hand  in  his  pocket  and 
confidingly  brought  out  his  best  fishing-line.  The 
master  took  it,  calmly  cut  it  into  twenty  lengths, 
each  long  enough  to  go  around  the  neck  of  a child 
and  permit  the  slate  when  hung  on  it  to  lie  loosely 
in  front  of  his  chest.  It  was  a bitter  blow  to  the 
boy  to  witness  the  cruel  and  unexpected  severing 
of  his  beloved  treasure,  and  he  never  forgot  it. 

In  England  for  centuries  existed  the  custom  of 
sending  young  children  to  the  houses  of  friends, 
c relatives, 


82  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

relatives,  or  people  of  some  condition  and  state  to 
be  educated.  Young  boys  were  placed  in  noble- 
men’s households  to  learn  carving,  singing,  and 
good  manners.  Young  girls  went  to  learn  house- 
wifery, needlework,  and  etiquette.  The  work  of 
these  children  in  what  would  to-day  be  deemed  the 


Nathan  Hale  Schoolhouse 


duties  of  upper  servants  was  given  in  payment 
for  their  board  and  tuition.  The  housemistress 
gained  a large  corps  of  orderly,  intelligent  servitors  ; 
and  there  was  no  disgrace  in  that  day  in  being  called 
a servant.  In  the  time  of  Henry  VII.  these  customs 
were  universal.  The  Italian  Relation  of  England , 
of  that  date,  is  most  severe  upon  English  parents, 
saying  this  putting  away  of  young  children,  though 

u nder 


Schools  and  School  Lite 


83 


under  the  guise  of  having  them  taught  good  man- 
ners, was  done  really  through  lack  ot  affection, 
through  greediness.  The  Paston  Letters , the  Ver- 
ney  Papers , give  ample  proof  that  children  of  good 
families  were  thus  banished. 

A remnant  of  this  custom  of  the  “ putting-forth  ” 
of  children  lingered  in  the  colonies.  A good  edu- 
cation could  generally  be  obtained  only  in  the 
schools  in  larger  towns,  or  in  the  households  of 
learned  men.  The  New  England  ministers  almost 
universally  eked  out  their  meagre  incomes  by  taking 
young  lads  into  their  homes  to  educate. 

When  at  school  in  Andover,  Josiah  Quincy 
boarded  with  the  minister.  The  boys,  eight  in 
number,  slept  in  a large  chamber  with  four  beds, 
two  boys  in  each.  The  tare  was  ample  but  simple  ; 
ot  beef,  pork,  plentiful  , egetables,  badly  baked  rye 
and  Indian  bread.  The  minister  had  white  bread 
as  the  brown  bread  gave  him  the  heart-burn. 

Children  went,  if  possible,  to  the  house  of  a kins- 
man. An  old  letter  in  the  Mather  Papers  is  from 
Mary  H oar.  She  writes  “ To  her  Esteemed  Sister, 
Mistris  Bridget  Hoar  at  Cambridge.”  One  sen- 
tence runs  thus  : — 

“ I presume  our  sonn  John  is  left  in  the  hands  of  a 
stranger ; which  may  be  of  some  evel  consequence  if  not 
timely  prevented  and  therefore  I doe  look  upon  myself  as 

conserned 


84 


Child  Lite  in  Colonial  Days 


conserned  (soe  far  as  I am  capable  to  diserne  ye  evel  at 
such  a distance)  to  make  my  request  to  you  to  prevail  with 
my  brother  to  receive  him  into  your  own  family  that  he 
may  be  under  your  own  ey.  And  to  goe  to  school  in  the 
same  town,  where  you  cannot  doubtless  be  destitute  of  a 
good  schoolmaster,  which  might  be  of  singular  benefit  to 
ye  child.” 

Bridget  Hoar  was  the  daughter  of  Lady  Alice 
Lisle,  the  martyr,  and  the  wife  of  Leonard  Hoar, 
president  of  Harvard  College. 

Another  letter  similar  in  kindly  intent  is  this 
written  to  Henry  Wolcott,  at  Windsor,  Connecti- 
cut : — 

“Salem,  April  ye  6th,  1695. 

“Dear  Bror: 

“ I cannot  but  be  much  concerned  for  your  chil- 
dren’s disadvantage  in  your  remote  livinge  (tho’  God  has 
blest  you  with  a good  Estate  which  is  likely  to  descend  to 
them)  the  want  of  Education  being  the  grand  Calamity  of 
this  Country,  but  you  have  always  Been  offered  no  small 
advantages,  besides  their  diet  free,  wch  I deeme  the  Leest. 
I can  only  Renew  the  same  offer  which  I have  made  tenn 
yeares  since  and  annually,  that  if  you  please  to  send  either 
of  your  daughters  to  my  House  they  shall  find  they  are 
welcome  to  spend  the  Summer  or  a year  or  as  long  as  you 
and  they  please  ; and  they  will  be  equally  welcome  to  my 
Wife,  also  I think  it  may  be  to  your  Sons’  advantage  to 
hasten  downe  to  the  Colledge  while  our  nephew  Price  is 

there, 


Schools  and  School  Life 


85 


Old  Brick  Schoolhouse,  Norwich,  Connecticut 


there,  and  it  you  have  anything  by  you,  that  you  designe 
for  their  Cloathing,  let  it  be  made  up  here  ; Else  it  will 
not  be  fit  for  either  of  them  to  ware.  Also  for  the  next 
Winter  if  your  Son  be  minded  to  Retire  for  a month  or 
two,  as  many  do  in  the  Dead  Season,  he  may  come  to  my 
howse,  and  Mr.  Noyes,  I am  sure,  will  be  very  ready  to 
oblige  him,  with  the  use  of  his  Library  and  Stoody,  he  being 
Remooved  to  his  own  House  next  weeke,  and  has  a Tenant 
in  one  end  of  it  that  dresses  his  Victualls.  I shall  not  En- 
large only  to  assure  you  that  I shall  be  happie  wherein  I 
may  be  serviceable  to  my  father’s  Children  and  theirs.  I 
am  Sir  your  very  AfF.  Bror  & Servant, 

UJ.  Wolcott.” 

It 


86 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


It  was  the  custom  of  the  wealthy  planters  of  the 
island  of  Barbadoes  to  send  their  children  to  New 
England,  usually  to  Boston,  to  school.  At  one 
time  a special  school  flourished  there  for  the  educa- 
tion of  the  sons  of  these  planters.  Several  volumes 
of  letter  books  of  Hon.  Hugh  Hall,  Judge  of  the 
Admiralty,  are  in  the  possession  of  his  descendant, 
M iss  Margaret  Seymour  Hall.  He  had  occasional 
charge  of  his  younger  brothers  and  sisters,  who 
were  sent  to  Boston  from  the  Barbadoes,  and  his 
letters  frequently  refer  to  them.  Many  of  these 
letters  are  to  and  from  his  grandmother,  Madam 
Lydia  Coleman,  the  daughter  of  the  old  Indian 
fighter,  Captain  Joshua  Scottow.  She  had  three 
husbands,  — Colonel  Benjamin  Gibbs,  Attorney 
General  Anthony  Checkley,  and  William  Coleman. 

Richard  Hall  came  to  Boston  in  1718.  His 
older  brother  writes  : — 

“ This  Northern  Air  seems  well  calculated  for  Richard’s 
Temperament  of  body  and  I am  Psuaded  he  never  appeared 
so  Fat  and  Sanguine  while  in  Barbados.  I am  taking  all 
Imaginable  Care  in  Placing  him  at  our  best  Grammar 
School  and  have  desir’d  the  Master  and  Usher  to  treat  him 
with  the  highest  Tenderness,  Intimating  he  has  a Capacity 
to  go  thro  ye  Exercises  of  ye  School  & that  a Mild  and 
good  Natur’d  Treatment  will  best  prevail ; who  have  prom- 
ised me  their  Pticular  favour  to  him.” 


A 


Schools  and  School  Life 


87 


A few  months  later  the  grandmother  writes  in 
various  letters  : — 

“ Richard  is  well  in  health,  and  minds  his  Learning  and 
likes  our  Cold  country  better  than  I do.  ...  I delivered 
Richard’s  Master,  Mr.  Williams,  25  lbs.  Cocoa.  I spoke 
wTith  him  a little  before  and  asked  him  what  he  expected 
for  Richard’s  schooling.  He  told  me  40  shillings  a yeare. 
As  for  Richard  since  I told  him  I would  write  to  his  Father 
he  is  more  orderly,  & he  is  very  hungry,  and  has  grown  so 
much  yt  all  his  Clothes  is  too  Little  for  him.  He  loves 
his  book  and  his  play  too.  I hired  him  to  get  a Chapter  of 
ye  Proverbs  & give  him  a penny  every  Sabbath  day,  & 
promised  him  5 shillings  when  he  can  say  them  all  by  heart. 
I would  do  my  duty  by  his  soul  as  well  as  his  body.  . . . 
I hope  he  does  consider  ye  many  inconveniences  yt 
will  attend  him  if  he  wont  be  ruled.  He  has  grown  a 
good  boy  and  minds  his  School  and  Lattin  and  Dancing. 
He  is  a brisk  Child  & grows  very  Cute  and  wont  wear 
his  new  silk  coat  yt  was  made  for  him.  He  wont 
wear  it  every  day  so  yt  I don’t  know  what  to  do  with 
it.  It  wont  make  him  a jackitt.  I would  have  him  a 
good  husbander  but  he  is  but  a child.  For  shoes,  gloves, 
hankers  & stockens,  they  ask  very  deare,  8 shillings  lor 
a paire  & Richard  takes  no  care  of  them.  ...  I put 
him  in  mind  of  writing  but  he  tells  me  he  don’t  know 
what  to  write.” 

Then  comes  Richard’s  delightful  effusion:  — 

“ Boston, 


88 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

“ Boston,  New  England,  July  i,  1719. 

“ Honour’d  Sir  : 

u I would  have  wrote  now  but  to  tell  ye  Truth  I 
do  not  know  what  to  write  for  I have  not  had  a letter  from 
you  since  Capt.  Beale,  and  I am  very  sorry  I can’t  write 
to  you  but  I thought  it  my  Duty  to  write  these  few  lines  to 
you  to  acquaint  you  of  my  welfare,  and  what  proficiency 
I have  made  in  Learning  since  my  Last  to  you.  My 
Master  is  very  kind  to  me.  I am  now  in  the  Second 
Form,  am  Learning  Castalio  and  Ovid’s  Metamorphosis  & 
I hope  I shall  be  fit  to  go  to  College  in  two  Years  time 
which  I am  resolved  to  do,  God  willing  and  by  your  leave, 
I shant  detain  you  any  longer  but  only  to  give  my  Duty 
to  your  good  self  & Mother  & love  to  my  Brothers  & 
Sisters.  Please  to  give  my  Duty  to  my  God  father  and 
to  my  Uncle  & Aunt  Adamson  & love  to  Cozen  Henry, 

“ Your  dutifull  Son, 

“ Richard  Hall.” 

Soon  another  letter  goes  to  the  father:  — 

“Richard  wears  out  nigh  12  paire  of  shoes  a year.  Pie 
brought  12  hankers  with  him  and  they  have  all  been  lost 
long  ago  ; and  I have  bought  him  3 or  4 more  at  a time. 
His  way  is  to  tie  knottys  at  one  end  & beat  ye  Boys  with 
them  and  then  to  lose  them  & he  cares  not  a bit  what  I 
will  say  to  him.” 

Mothers  and  guardians  of  the  present  day  who 
have  sent  boys  off  to  the  boarding  school  with  am- 
ple 


89 


Schools  and  School  Life 
' 

pie  store  of  neatly  marked  underclothing,  stockings, 
and  handkerchiefs,  and  had  them  return  at  the  holi- 
days nearly  bereft  of  underwear,  bearing  stockings 
with  feet  existing  only  in  outlines,  and  possessing 
but  two  or  three  handkerchiefs,  these  in  dingy  wads 
at  the  bottom  of  coat-pockets  and  usually  marked 
with  some  other  scholar’s  name  — such  can  sym- 
pathize with  poor,  thrifty  old  lady  Coleman,  when 
naughty  Richard  tied  his  good  new  handker- 
chiefs in  knots,  beat  his  companions, 
and  recklessly  threw  the 
knotted  strings 
away. 


CHAPTER  IV 


WOMEN  TEACHERS  AND  GIRL  SCHOLARS 


A godly  young  IV oman  of  special  parts,  who  was  fallen  into  a 
sad  infirmity,  the  loss  of  her  understanding  and  reason,  zvhich  had 
been  growing  upon  her  divers  years  hy  occasion  of  giving  herself 
wholly  to  reading  and  writing  and  had  written  many  books.  Her 
husbande  was  loath  to  grieve  hir  ; but  he  saw  his  error  when  it  zvas 
too  late.  For  if  she  had  attended  to  her  household  affairs,  and  such 
things  as  belong  to  women,  and  not  gone  out  of  hir  way  and  calling 
to  meddle  in  such  things  as  are  proper  for  men  whose  minds  are 
stronger,  she  had  kept  hir  Wits,  and  might  have  improved  them 
usefully  and  honorably. 

— History  of  New  England.  Governor  John  IVinthrop , 164.0. 


J'HILE  the  education  of  the  sons  of  the 
V/\/  planters  in  all  the  colonies  was  bravely 
provided  and  supported,  the  daughters 
fared  but  poorly.  The  education  of  a girl  in  book 
learning  was  deemed  of  vastly  less  importance  than 
her  instruction  in  household  duties.  But  small  ar- 
rangement was  made  in  any  school  for  her  presence, 
nor  was  it  thought  desirable  that  she  should  have 
any  very  varied  knowledge.  That  she  should  read 
and  write  was  certainly  satisfactory,  and  cipher  a 

little  ; 


90 


Women  Teachers  and  Girl  Scholars  91 

little  ; but  many  girls  got  on  very  well  without  the 
ciphering,  and  many,  alas  ! without  the  reading  and 
writing. 

There  had  been  a time  when  English  girls  and 
English  gentlewomen  had  eagerly  studied  Latin  and 
Greek  ; and  wise  masters,  such  as  Erasmus  and  Colet 
and  Roger  Ascham  had  told  with  pride  of  their 
intelligent  English  girl  scholars ; but  all  that  had 
passed  away  with  the  “good  old  times.”  In  the 
seventeenth  century  English  gentlemen  looked  with 
marked  disfavor  on  learned  women. 

Sir  Ralph  Verney,  who  adored  his  own  little 
daughters  to  the  neglect  of  his  sons,  and  was  ten- 
der, devoted,  and  generous  to  every  little  girl  ol 
his  acquaintance,  wrote  about  the  year  1690  to  a 
friend  : — 

“ Let  not  your  girle  learn  Latin  or  short  hand  ; the  diffi- 
culty of  the  first  may  keep  her  from  that  Vice,  for  soe  I 
must  esteem  it  in  a woeman  ; hut  the  easinesse  of  the  other 
may  bee  a prejudice  to  her;  for  the  pride  of  taking  sermon 
noates  hath  made  multitudes  of  woemen  most  unfortunate. 
Had  St.  Paul  lived  in  our  Times  I am  confident  hee  would 
have  fixt  a Shame  upon  our  woemen  for  writing  as  well  as 
for  speaking  in  church.” 

Occasionally  an  intelligent  father  would  carefully 
teach  his  daughters.  President  Colman  of  Harvard 

was 


9 2 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


was  such  a father.  He  gave  what  was  called  a 
profound  education  to  his  daughter  Jane.  A letter 
of  his  to  her,  when  she  was  ten  years  old,  is  worthy 
of  full  quotation  : — 

“My  dear  Child:  — 

“ I have  this  morning  your  Letter  which  pleases 
me  very  well  and  gives  me  hopes  of  many  a pleasant  line 
from  you  in  Time  to  come  if  God  spare  you  to  me  and  me 
to  you.  I very  much  long  to  see  your  Mother  but  doubt 
whether  the  weather  will  permit  to-day.  I pray  God  to 
bless  you  and  make  you  one  of  his  Children.  I charge  you 
to  pray  daily,  and  read  your  Bible,  and  fear  to  sin.  Be 
very  dutiful  to  your  Mother,  and  respectful  to  everybody. 
Be  very  humble  and  modest,  womanly  and  discreet.  Take 
care  of  your  health  and  as  you  love  me  do  not  eat  green 
apples.  Drink  sparingly  of  water,  except  the  day  be  warm. 
When  I last  saw  you,  you  were  too  shamefaced;  look  peo- 
ple in  the  face,  speak  freely  and  behave  decently.  I hope 
to  bring  Nabby  in  her  grandfather’s  Chariot  to  see  you. 
The  meanwhile  I kiss  your  dear  Mother,  and  commend  her 
health  to  the  gracious  care  of  God,  and  you  with  her  to 
His  Grace.  Give  my  service  to  Mr.  A.  and  family  and 
be  sure  you  never  forget  the  respect  they  have  honoured  you 

Vnt^’  “ Your  loving  father. 

“Boston,  Aug.  i,  1718.” 

Jonathan  Edwards  was  an  only  son  with  ten  sis- 
ters. In  1711,  when  he  was  eight  years  old,  five  of 

these 


Women  Teachers  and  Girl  Scholars  93 

these  sisters  had  been  born.  The  father,  Timothy 
Edwards,  went  as  chaplain  on  an  expedition  to  Can- 
ada. His  letters  home  show  his  care  and  thought 
for  his  children,  girls  and  boy:-— 

“ I desire  thee  to  take  care  that  Jonathan  dont  lose  what 
he  hath  learnt,  but  that  as  he  hath  got  the  accidence  and 
about  two  sides  of  Propria  quae  maribus  by  heart,  so  that 
he  keep  what  he  hath  got  I would  therefore  have  him  say 
pretty  often  to  the  girls.  I would  also  have  the  girls  keep 
what  they  have  learnt  of  the  Grammar,  and  get  by  heart 
as  far  as  Jonathan  hath  learnt ; he  can  keep  them  as  far  as 
he  had  learnt.  And  would  have  both  him  and  them  keep 
their  writing,  and  therefore  write  much  oftener  than  they 
did  when  I was  at  home.  I have  left  paper  enough  for 
them  which  they  may  use  to  that  end.” 

Conditions  remained  the  same  throughout  the 
century.  The  wife  of  President  John  Adams,  born 
in  1744,  the  daughter  of  a New  England  minister  of 
good  family  and  social  position,  doubtless  had  as 
good  an  education  as  any  girl  of  her  birth  and 
station.  She  writes  in  1817:  — 

u My  early  education  did  not  partake  of  the  abundant 
opportunities  which  the  present  days  offer,  and  which  even 
our  common  country  schools  now  afford.  I never  was 
sent  to  any  school.  I was  always  sick.  Female  education, 
in  the  best  families,  went  no  further  than  writing  and 

arithmetic} 


94 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

\ 

arithmetic  ; in  some  few  and  rare  instances  music  and 
dancing.” 

On  another  occasion  she  said  that  female  education 
had  been  everywhere  neglected,  and  female  learning 
ridiculed,  and  she  speaks  of  the  trifling,  narrow,  con- 
tracted education  of  American  women. 

Girls  in  the  other  colonies  fared  no  better  than 
New  England  damsels.  The  instruction  given  to 
girls  of  Dutch  and  English  parentage  in  New  York 
was  certainly  very  meagre.  Mrs.  Anne  Grant  wrote 
an  interesting  account  of  her  childhood  in  Albany, 
New  York,  in  a book  called  Memoir  of  an  American 
Lady.  The  date  was  the  first  half  of  the  eighteenth 
century.  She  said  : — 

“ It  was  at  that  time  very  difficult  to  procure  the  means 
of  instruction  in  those  districts  ; female  education  was  in 
consequence  conducted  on  a very  limited  scale;  girls 
learned  needlework  (in  which  they  were  indeed  both  skilful 
and  ingenious),  from  their  mothers  and  aunts;  they  were 
taught,  too,  at  that  period  to  read,  in  Dutch,  the  Bible,  and 
a few  Calvinistic  tracts  of  the  devotional  kind.  But  in  the 
infancy  of  the  settlement  few  girls  read  English  ; when  they 
did  they  were  thought  accomplished  ; they  generally  spoke 
it,  however  imperfectly,  and  a few  were  taught  writing.” 

William  Smith  wrote  in  1756  that  the  schools  in 
New  York  then  were  of  the  lowest  order,  the 

teachers 


Women  Teachers  and  Girl  Scholars  95 

teachers  ignorant,  and  women,  especially,  ill-edu- 
cated. It  was  the  same  in  Virginia.  Mary  Ball, 
the  mother  of  George  Washington,  wrote  from  her 
Virginia  home  when  fifteen  years  old  : — 

“ We  have  not  had  a schoolmaster  in  our  neighborhood  till 
now  in  nearly  four  years.  We  have  now  a young  minister 
living  with  us  who  was  educated  at  Oxford,  took  orders  and 
came  over  as  assistant  to  Rev.  Kemp.  The  parish  is  too 
poor  to  keep  both,  and  he  teaches  school  for  his  board. 
He  teaches  Sister  Susie  and  me  and  Madam  Carter’s  boy 
and  two  girls.  I am  now  learning  pretty  fast.” 

The  Catechism  of  Health , an  old-time  child’s 
book,  thus  summarily  and  definitely  sets  girls  in 
their  proper  places  : — 

“ Ahtery : Ought  female  children  to  receive  the  same 

education  as  boys  and  have  the  same  scope  for  play  ? 

'•'■Answer:  In  their  earlier  years  there  should  be  no  dif- 

ference. But  there  are  shades  of  discretion  and  regards  to 
propriety  which  judicious  and  prudent  guardians  and 
teachers  can  discern  and  can  adjust  and  apply.” 

We  seldom  find  any  recognition  of  girls  as  pupils 
in  the  early  public  schools.  Sometimes  it  is  evident 
that  they  were  admitted  at  times  not  devoted  to  the 
teaching  of  bovs.  For  instance,  in  May,  1x67,  a 
school  was  advertised  in  Providence  tor  teaching 
writing  and  arithmetic  to  “young  ladies.”  But  the 
. girls 


96 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


girls  had  to  go  from  six  to  half-past  seven  in  the 
morning,  and  half-past  four  to  six  in  the  afternoon. 
The  price  for  this  most  inconvenient  and  ill-timed 
schooling  was  two  dollars  a quarter.  It  is  pathetic 
to  read  of  a learning-hungry  little  maid  in  Hatfield, 
Massachusetts,  who  would  slip  away  from  her  spin- 
ning and  knitting  and  sit  on  the  schoolhouse  steps 
to  listen  with  eager  envy  to  the  boys  as  they  recited 
within.  When  it  became  popular  to  have  girls  attend 
public  schools,  an  old  farmer  on  a country  school 
committee  gave  these  matter-of-fact  objections  to 
the  innovation.  “ In  winter  it’s  too  far  for  girls 
to  walk  ; in  summer  they  ought  to  stay  at  home 
to  help  in  the  kitchen.” 

The  first  school  for  girls-only,  where  they  were 
taught  in  branches  not  learned  in  the  lower  schools, 
was  started  in  1780  in  Middletown,  Connecticut,  by 
a graduate  of  Yale  College  named  William' Wood- 
bridge.  Boston  girls  owed  much  to  a famous 
teacher,  Caleb  Bingham,  who  came  to  that  city  in 
1784  and  advertised  to  open  a school  where  girls 
could  be  taught  writing,  arithmetic,  reading,  spell- 
ing, and  English  grammar.  His  school  was  eagerly 
welcomed,  and  it  prospered.  He  wrote  tor  his  girl 
pupils  the  famous  Young  Lady  s Accidence , referred 
to  in  another  chapter,  and  under  his  teaching 
“ newspapers  were  to  be  introduced  in  the  school 

at 


Women  Teachers  and  Girl  Scholars  97 


at  the  discretion  of  the  master.”  This  is  the  first 
instance  — I believe  in  any  country  — of  the  read- 
ing of  newspapers  being  ordered  by  a school  com- 
mittee. 

(__There  were  always  dame-schools,  which  were 


Barnard,  of  Marblehead,  Massacnusetts,  was  born 
in  1681  and  was  educated  in  Boston.  He  wrote 
in  his  old  age  a sketch  of  his  school  life.  He 
says : — 

u By  that  time  I had  a little  passed  my  sixth  year  I had 
left  my  reading  school,  in  the  latter  part  of  which  my 
mistress  had  made  me  a sort  of  usher  appointing  me  to 
teach  some  children  that  were  older  than  myself  as  well  as 
some  smaller  ones.  And  in  which  time  I had  read  my 
Bible  through  thrice.  My  parents  thought  me  to  be 
weakly  because  of  my  thin  habit  and  pale  countenance.” 

The  penultimate  sentence  of  this  account  evi- 
dently accounts  for  the  ultimate.  It  also  appears 
that  this  unnamed  school  dame  practised  the  moni- 
torial system  a century  or  more  before  Bell  and 
Lancaster  made  their  claims  of  inventing  it. 

The  pay  of  women  teachers  who  taught  the 
dame-schools  was  meagre  in  the  extreme.  The 
town  of  Woburn,  Massachusetts,  reached  the  lowest 
ebb  of  salary.  In  1641  a highly  respected  widow. 


attended  by  small  boys  and 


Rev.  John 


H 


one 


98 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


one  Mrs.  Walker,  kept  a school  in  a room  of  her 
own  house.  The  town  agreed  to  pay  her  ten  shil- 
lings for  the  first  year  ; but  after  deducting  seven 
shillings  for  taxes,  and  various  small  amounts  for 
produce,  etc.,  she  received  finally  from  the  town 
one  shilling  and  three  pence  for  her  pedagogical  work. 

Elizabeth  Wright  was  the  first  teacher  in  the 
town  of  Northfield,  Massachusetts.  She  taught 
a class  of  young  children  at  her  own  house  for 
twenty-two  weeks  each  summer;  for  this  she  re- 
ceived fourpence  a week  for  each  child.  At  this 
time  she  had  four  young  children  of  her  own.  She 
took  all  the  care  of  them  and  did  all  the  work  of 
her  household,  made  shirts  for  the  Indians  for  eight- 
pence  each,  and  breeches  for  Englishmen  for  one 
shilling  sixpence  a pair,  and  wove  much  fine  linen 
to  order.  For  the  summer  school  at  Franklin, 
Connecticut,  in  1798,  “a  qualified  woman  teacher” 
had  but  sixty-seven  cents  a week  pay.  Men 
teachers  who  taught  both  girls  and  boys  usually 
had  better  pay  ; but  Samuel  Appleton,  in  later  life 
the  well-known  Boston  merchant  and  philanthropist, 
was  my  great-grandfather’s  teacher  in  the  year  1786. 
Elis  pay  was  his  board,  lodging,  and  washing,  and 
sixty-seven  cents  per  week,  and  it  was  deemed  liberal 
and  ample. 

There  were  always  in  the  large  cities  small  classes 

where 


Elizabeth  Storer,  Twelve  Years  Old,  1738 


Women  Teachers  and  Girl  Scholars 


99 


where  favored  girls  could  be  taught  the  rudiments  of 
an  education,  and  there  were  many  private  teachers 
who  taught  young  misses.  Boston  gentlewomen 
from  very  early  days  had  a mode  of  eking  out  a 
limited  income  by  taking  little  girls  and  young  ladies 
from  country  homes,  especially  from  the  southern 
colonies  and  the  Rarbadoes,  to  board  while  they  at- 
tended these  classes  and  recited  to  these  teachers. 

Many  honored  New  England  names  appear 
among  the  advertisements  of  those  desiring  board- 
ers. Mrs.  Deming  wrote  to  her  niece,  Anna  Green 
Winslow,  telling  her  of  two  boarders  she  had  : — - 

“ Had  I time  and  spirits  I could  acquaint  you  of  an 
expedition  the  two  sisters  made  to  Dorchester,  a walk 
begun  at  sunrise  last  Thursday  morning  — dress’d  in  their 
dammasks,  padusoy,  gauze,  ribbins,  flapetts,  flowers,  new 
white  hats,  white  shades,  and  black  leather  shoes  (Padding- 
ton’s make)  and  finish’d,  journey,  garments,  orniments  and 
all  quite  finish’d  on  Saturday  before  noon  (mud  over  shoes) 
never  did  I behold  such  destruction  in  so  short  a space  — 
bottom  of  padusoy  coat  fring’d  quite  around,  besides  places 
worn  entire  to  floss,  and  besides  frays,  dammask  from 
shoulders  to  bottom  not  lightly  soil’d,  but  as  if  every  part 
had  rub’d  tables  and  chairs  that  had  long  been  us’d  to  wax 
mingl’d  with  grease. 

“ I could  have  cried,  for  I really  pitied  em  — nothing 
left  fit  to  be  seen.  They  had  leave  to  go,  but  it  never 

entered 


TOO 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

entered  anyone’s  tho’ts  but  their  own  to  be  dressed  in  all 
(even  to  loading)  of  their  best.  What  signifies  it  to  worry 
ourselves  about  beings  that  are  and  will  be  just  so?  I can, 
and  do,  pity  and  advise,  but  I shall  get  no  credit  by  such- 
like. The  eldest  talks  much  of  learn  ins;  dancing,  musick 
(the  spinet  and  guitar)  embroidery,  dresden,  the  French 
tongue,  & c.  The  younger  with  an  air  of  her  own  advis’d 
the  elder  when  she  first  mention’d  French  to  learn  first  to 
read  English  and  was  answer’d,  ‘ Law,  so  I can  well  eno’ 
a’ready.’  You’ve  heard  her  do  what  she  calls  reading,  I 
believe.  Poor  Creature!  Well!  we  have  a time  of  it!” 

There  is  a beautifully  written  letter  in  existence 
of  Elizabeth  Saltonstall,  sent  to  her  young  daughter 
Elizabeth  on  July  26,  1680,  when  the  latter  was 
away  from  home  and  attending  school.  It  abruptly 
begins:  — 

“ Betty : 

“ Having  an  opportunity  to  send  to  you,  I could 
doe  no  less  than  write  a few  lines  to  mind  you  that  you 
carry  yourself  very  respectively  and  dutyfully  to  Mrs. 
Graves  as  though  she  were  your  Mother:  and  likewise 
respectively  and  loveingly  to  the  children,  and  soberly  in 
words  and  actions  to  the  servants  : and  be  sure  you  keep 
yourself  diligently  imployed  either  at  home  or  at  school,  as 
Mrs.  Graves  shall  order  you.  Doe  nothing  without  her 
leave,  and  assure  yourself  it  will  be  a great  preservative  from 
falling  into  evill  to  keep  yourself  well  imployed.  But  with 
all  and  in  the  first  place  make  it  your  dayly  work  to  pray 

earnestly 


Women  Teachers  and  Girl  Scholars  ioi 


earnestly  to  God  that  lie  would  keep  you  from  all  manner 
of  evil.  Take  heed  of  your  discourse  at  all  times  that  it 
be  not  vaine  and  foolish  but  know  that  for  every  idle  word 
you  must  certainly  give  account  another  day.  Be  sure  to 
follow  your  reading,  omit  it  not  one  day  : your  lather  doth 
propose  to  send  you  some  coppies  that  so  you  may  follow 
your  wrighting  likewise.  I shall  say  no  more  at  present 
but  only  lay  a strict  charge  upon  you  that  yOu  remember 
and  practise  what  I have  minded  you  of : and  as  you  de- 
sire the  blessing  of  God  upon  you  either  in  soul  or  body  be 
careful  to  observe  the  counsell  of  your  parents  and  consider 
that  they  are  the  words  of  your  loving  and  affectionate 
mother, 

“ Er.iz.  Sai.tonstall. 

Present  my  best  respects  to  Mistris  Graves.  Your 
brothers  remember  their  love  to  you.” 

Old  Madam  Coleman,  who  had  somewhat  of  a 
handful  in  her  grandson,  Richard  Hall,  during  his 
school  days,  was  given  charge  of  his  sister  Sarah,  in 
1719,  to  care  for  and  guard  while  she  received  an 
education.  When  Missy  arrived  from  the  Barba- 
does  she  was  eight  years  old.  She  brought  with  her 
a maid.  The  grandmother  wrote  back  cheerfully  to 
the  parents  that  the  child  was  well  and  brisk,  as  in- 
deed she  was.  All  the  very  young  gentlemen  and 
young  ladies  of  Boston  Brahmin  blood  paid  her 
visits,  and  she  gave  a feast  at  a child’s  dancing  party 

with 


1 02 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


with  the  sweetmeats  left  over  from  her  sea-store. 
Her  stay  in  her  grandmother’s  household  was  sur- 
prisingly brief.  She  left  unceremoniously  and  un- 
bidden with  her  maid,  and  went  to  a Mr.  Binning’ s 
to  board ; she  sent  home  word  to  the  Barbadoes 
that  her  grandmother  made  her  drink  water  with 
her  meals.  Her  brother  wrote  at  once  in  return  to 
Madam  Coleman  : — 

“ We  were  all  persuaded  of  your  tender  and  hearty  affec- 
tion to  my  Sister  when  we  recommended  her  to  your  parental 
care.  W e are  sorry  to  hear  of  her  Independence  in  remov- 
ing from  under  the  Benign  Influences  of  your  Wing  & am 
surprised  she  dare  do  it  without  our  leave  or  consent  or 
that  Mr.  Binning  receive  her  at  his  house  before  he  knew  how 
we  were  afFected  to  it.  We  shall  now  desire  Mr.  Binning 
to  resign  her  with  her  waiting  maid  to  you  and  in  our  Letter 
to  him  have  strictly  ordered  her  to  Return  to  your  House. 
And  you  may  let  her  know  before  my  Father  took  his  de- 
parture for  London  he  desired  me  peremptorily  to  enjoin  it, 
and  my  Mother  and  myself  back  it  with  our  Commands, 
which  we  hope  she  wont  venture  to  refuse  or  disobey.” 

But  no  brother  could  control  this  spirited  young 
damsel.  Three  months  later  a letter  from  Madam 
Coleman  read  thus:  — 

“Sally  wont  go  to  school  nor  to  church  and  wants  a nue 
muff  and  a great  many  other  things  she  don’t  need.  I tell 
her  fine  things  are  cheaper  in  Barbadoes.  She  says  she  will 

g° 


Women  Teachers  and  Girl  Scholars  103 

go  to  Barbados  in  the  Spring.  She  is  well  and  brisk,  says 
her  Brother  has  nothing  to  do  with  her  as  long  as  her 
father  is  alive.” 

Hugh  Hall  wrote  in  return,  saying  his  daughter 
ought  to  have  one  room  to  sleep  in,  and  her  maid 
another,  that  it  was  not  befitting  children  of  their 
station  to  drink  water,  they  should  have  wine  and 
beer.  The  grandmother  was  not  offended  with  him 
or  the  children,  but  shielded  the  boy  from  rebuke 
when  he  was  sent  from  one  school  to  another ; said 
proudly  he  was  “ a child  of  great  parts,  ye  best 
Dancer  of  any  in  town,”  and  could  learn  as  much  in 
an  hour  as  another  in  three  hours.  The  bill  for  the 
dancing  lessons  still  exists.  Richard’s  dancing  les- 
sons for  a year  and  a quarter  cost  seven  pounds. 
Sally’s  for  four  months,  two  pounds.  Four  months’ 
instruction  in  writing  (and  pens,  ink,  and  paper)  was 
one  pound  seven  shillings  and  four  pence.  The  en- 
trance fee  for  dancing  lessons  was  a pound  apiece. 
Sally  learned  “ to  sew,  floure,  write,  and  dance.” 
The  brisk  child  grew  up  a dashing  belle,  and  married 
Major  John  Wentworth,  brother  of  Governor  Ben- 
ning  Wentworth.  Good  Brother  Richard  writes  : — 

“ I heartily  rejoice  in  Sally’s  good  fortune  and  hope 
Molly  will  have  her  turn  also,  but  it  would  not  have  been 
fair  to  let  Sally  dance  barefoot  which  I hear  Molly  expected 
would  have  been  done.” 


Sister 


104 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


Sister  Molly  married  first  Adam  Winthrop  and 
then  Captain  William  Wentworth.  The  two  sisters 
were  left  widows  and  lived  till  great  old  age  in  the 
famous  old  Wentworth  House  in  Portsmouth,  New 
H ampshire,  both  dying  in  1790. 

Mistress  Agan  Blair  of  Williamsburg,  Virginia, 
married  one  Colonel  John  Banister  of  Petersburg; 
her  letters,  even  in  old  age,  are  full  of  a charming 
freedom  of  description  and  familiarity  of  language, 
even  amounting  to  slang,  which  are  very  unusual  in 
correspondence  of  that  day.  They  are  printed  in 
the  History  of  the  Blair  and  Braxton  Families.  She 
writes  to  her  sister,  Mrs.  Braxton,  of  the  latter’s 
little  daughter,  Betsey,  in  the  year  1769:  — 

“ Betsey  is  at  work  for  you.  I suppose  she  will  tell  you 
to-morrow  is  Dancing  Day,  for  it  is  in  her  Thoughts  by 
Day  & her  dreams  by  Night.  Mr.  Fearson  was  so  sur- 
prised to  find  she  knew  so  much  of  the  Minuet  step,  and 
could  not  help  asking  if  Miss  had  never  been  taught.  So 
you  will  find  she  is  likely  to  make  some  progress  that  way. 
Mr.  Wray  by  reason  of  business  has  but  lately  taken  her  in 
hand  tho’  he  assures  me  a little  practice  is  all  she  wants  ; her 
Reading  I hear  twice  a day.  And  when  I go  out  she  is  con- 
signed over  to  my  Sister  Blair:  we  have  had  some  few 
Quarrels  and  one  Battle.  Betsey  and  her  Cousin  Jenny 
had  been  fighting  for  several  days  successively  & was 
threatened  to  be  whipt  for  it  as  often  but  they  did  not  re- 
gard 


Women  Teachers  and  Girl  Scholars  105 

gard  us.  Her  Mamma  & self  thought  it  necessary  to  let 
them  see  we  were  in  earnest  — if  they  have  fought  since 
we  have  never  heard  of  it.  She  has  finish’d  her  work’d 
Tucker,  but  ye  weather  is  so  warm  that  with  all  ye  pains  I 
can  take  with  clean  hands  and  so  forth  she  cannot  help 
dirtying  it  a little.  I do  not  observe  her  to  be  fond  of 
negroes  company,  nor  have  I heard  lately  of  any  bad  words ; 
chief  of  our  Quarrels  is  for  eating  of  those  green  Apples  in 
our  garden  and  not  keeping  the  head  smooth.  ...  I have 
had  Hair  put  on  Miss  Dolly  but  find  it  is  not  in  my  power 
of  complying  with  my  promise  in  giving  her  Silk  for  a 
Sacque  and  Coat.  Some  of  our  pretty  Gang  broke  open  a 
Trunk  in  my  Absence  and  stole  several  Things  of  which 
the  Silk  makes  a part.  So  imagine  Betsey  will  petition  you 
for  some.  I am  much  obliged  for  the  care  you  have  taken 
to  get  all  my  Duds  together,  I cannot  find  you  have  neg- 
lected putting  up  anything  for  Betsey.” 

, It  will  readily  be  seen  from  all  these  letters  that 
whether  the  little  girl  was  taught  at  home  or  in  a 
private  school,  to  “sew,  floure,  write,  and  dance” 
were  really  the  chief  things  she  learned,  usually  the 
only  things,  save  deportment  and  elegance  of  car- 
riage. \ To  attain  an  erect  and  dignified  bearing 
growing  girls  were  tortured  as  in  English  boarding 
schools  by  sitting  in  stocks,  wearing  harnesses,  and 
being  strapped  to  backboards.  The  packthread 
stays  and  stiffened  coats  of  “ little  Miss  Custis  ” 


were 


io 6 Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

were  made  still  more  unyielding  by  metal  and  wood 
busks  ; the  latter  made  of  close-grained  heavy  wood. 
These  were  often  carved  in  various  designs  or  with 


Carved  Busks 


names  and  verses,  or  ornamented  with  drawings  in 
colored  inks,  and  made  a favorite  gift. 

All  these  constrainments  and  accessories  contrib- 
uted to  a certain  thin-chested  though  erect  appear- 
ance, 


Women  Teachers  and  Girl  Scholars  107 

ance,  which  is  notable  in  the  portraits  of  girls  and 
women  painted  in  the  past  century. 

The  backboard  certainly  helped  to  produce  an 
erect  and  dignified  carriage,  and  was  assisted  by 
the  quick,  graceful  motions  used  in  wool-spinning. 
The  daughter  of  the  Revolutionary  patriot  General 
Nathanael  Greene  stated  to  her  grandchildren  that 
in  Her  girlhood  she  sat  every  day  with  her  feet 
in  stocks,  strapped  to  a backboard.  She  was  until 
the  end  of  her  long  life  a straight-backed  elegant 
dame. 

Many  of  the  portraits  given  in  this  book  plainly 
show  the  reign  of  the  backboard.  The  portrait  of 
Elizabeth  Storer,  facing  page  98,  is  perhaps  file 
best  example.  It  is  authenticated  as  having  been 
painted  by  Smibert  when  the  subject  was  but  twelve 
years  old,  but  she  is  certainly  a most  mature-faced 


Another  straight-backed  portrait,  opposite  page 
108,  is  the  famous  one  immortalized  in  rhvme  by  Dr. 
Oliver  Wendell  Holmes,  that  of  “ Dorothy  Q.,”  the 
daughter  of  Judge  Edmund  Quincy.  The  poet’s 
lines  are  more  simply  descriptive  than  any  prose. 


child. 


“ Grandmother’s  mother  : her  age,  I guess 
Thirteen  summers  or  something  less. 
Girlish  bust,  but  womanly  air  ; 

Smooth  square  forehead  with  uprolled  hair. 


Lips 


io8 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


Lips  that  lover  has  never  kissed. 

Taper  fingers  and  slender  wrist. 

Hanging  sleeves  of  stiff  brocade. 

So  they  painted  the  little  maid.” 

“ Who  the  painter  was  none  may  tell. 

One  whose  best  was  not  over  well  ; 

Hard  and  dry  it  must  be  confessed. 

Flat  as  a rose  that  has  long  been  pressed. 

Yet  in  her  cheek  the  hues  are  bright. 

Dainty  colors  of  red  and  white  ; 

And  in  her  slender  shape  are  seen 
Hint  and  promise  of  stately  mien.” 

It  would  be  no  effort  of  the  imagination  to  stretch 
the  poet’s  “thirteen  summers  or  less”  to  thirty  sum- 
mers. 

Of  associate  interest  is  the  portrait  of  Elizabeth 
Quincy,  her  sister,  facing  page  1 12.  The  faces,  hair, 
and  dress  are  similar,  but  the  parrot  is  replaced  by 
an  impossible  little  dog.  Elizabeth  is  somewhat 
fairer  to  look  upon.  Dorothy  is  certainly  “ nothing 
handsome.”  On  the  back  of  the  portrait  is  written 
this  inscription:  “It  pleased  God  to  take  Out  ot 
Life  my  Honor’d  and  dearly  Belov’d  Mother,  Mrs 
Elizabeth  Wendell,  daughter  to  Honble  Ed- 
mund Quincy,  Esqr.  March,  1746,  aged  39  Years.” 
H er  brother  Edmund  Quincy  married  her  hus- 
band’s sister  Elizabeth  (thus  the  two  Elizabeths 

exchanged 


Dorothy  Q.”  “Thirteen  Summers,”  1720  circa 


Women  Teachers  and  Girl  Scholars  109 

exchanged  surnames),  and  Dorothy  Q.  married 
Edward  Jackson. 

The  desire  of  girls  and  women  to  be  ethereal  and 
slender,  delicate  and  shrinking,  began  over  a century 
ago,  but  reached  a climax  in  the  early  years  of  this 
century.  To  effect  this,  severe  measures  were  taken 
in  girls’  schools.  Dr.  Holmes  wrote  in  jest,  but 
in  truth  too  : — 

“ They  braced  my  aunt  against  a board 
To  make  her  straight  and  tall. 

They  laced  her  up,  they  starved  her  down. 

To  make  her  light  and  small. 

They  pinched  her  feet,  they  singed  her  hair. 

They  screwed  it  up  with  pins  — 

Oh,  never  mortal  suffered  more 
In  penance  for  her  sins.” 

Though  Madam  Coleman,  a Boston  Puritan, 
told  so  proudly  of  her  grandchildren’s  dancing,  that 
accomplishment,  or  rather  intregal  part  of  a little 
lass’s  education,  had  not  been  quietly  promoted  in 
that  sober  city.  In  early  years  both  magistrates  and 
ministers  had  declaimed  against  it. 

In  1684  Increase  Mather  preached  a strong  ser- 
mon against  what  he  termed  “ Gynecandrical  Danc- 
ing or  that  which  is  commonly  called  Mixt  or 
Promiscuous  Dancing  of  Men  and  Women,  be  they 
elder  or  younger  Persons  together.”  He  called  it 

the 


1 1 o Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

the  great  sin  ol  the  Daughters  ot  Zion,  and  he  bursts 
forth  : — 

“Who  were  the  Inventors  of  Petulant  Dancings? 
Learned  men  have  well  observed  that  the  Devil  was  the 
First  Inventor  of  the  impleaded  Dances,  and  the  Gentiles 
who  worshipped  him  the  first  Practitioners  of  this  Art.” 

Of  course  he  could  not  be  silent  as  to  the  dancings 
of  Miriam  and  David  in  the  Bible,  but  disposed  of 
them  summarily  thus,  “ Those  Instances  are  not  at 
all  to  the  Purpose.”  Preaching  against  dancing  was 
as  futile  as  against  wig-wearing;  “ Horrid  Bushes  of 
Vanity  ” soon  decked  every  head,  and  gay  young 
feet  tripped  merrily  to  the  sound  of  music  in  every 
village  and  town.  Dancing  could  not  be  repressed 
in  an  age  when  there  was  so  little  other  excitement, 
so  great  physical  activity,  and  so  narrow  a range  of 
conversation;  and  after  a time  “Ordination-balls” 
were  given  when  a new  minister  was  ordained. 

Dancing  was  a pleasant  accomplishment,  and  a 
serious  one  in  good  society.  The  regard  of  it  as  a 
formal  function  is  proved  by  the  story  the  Marquis 
de  Chastellux  told  of  the  Philadelphia  Assembly. 
A young  lady  who  was  up  in  a country  dance  spoke 
for  a moment  to  a friend  and  thus  forgot  her  turn. 
The  Master  of  Ceremonies,  Colonel  Mitchell,  im- 
mediately came  to  her  side  and  said  severely  : “ Give 

over. 


Women  Teachers  and  Girl  Scholars 


1 1 1 


over,  Miss.  Take  care  what  you  are  about.  Do 
you  think  you  came  here  for  your  pleasure  ? ” 

It  was  a much  more  varied  art  than  is  ordinarily 
taught  to-day.  Signor  Sodi  taught  rigadoons  and 
paspies  in  Philadelphia;  John  Walsh  added  the 
Spanish  fandango.  Other  modish  dances  were 
“ Allemand  vally’s,  De  la  cours,  Devonshire  jiggs, 
Minuets.”  Complicated  contra-dances  were  many  in 
number  and  quaint  in  name:  The  Innocent  Maid, 
A Successful  Campaign,  Priest’s  House,  Clinton’s 
Retreat,  Blue  Bonnets,  The  Orange  Tree. 

A letter  from  an  interesting  little  child  shows  that 
dancing  was  deemed  part  of  a “ liberal  education.” 


“ Philadelphia,  March  30,  1739. 

“ Honour’d  Sir  : 

“ Since  my  coming  up  I have  entered  with  Mr. 
Hackett  to  improve  my  Dancing,  and  hope  to  make  such 
Progress  therein  as  may  answer  to  the  Expense,  and  enable 
me  to  appear  well  in  any  Public  Company.  The  great 
Desire  I have  of  pleasing  you  will  make  me  the  more 
Assiduous  in  my  undertaking,  and  I arrive  at  any  degree  of 
Perfection  it  must  be  Attributed  to  the  Liberal  Education 
you  bestow  on  me. 

“ I am  with  greatest  Respect,  Dear  Pappa, 

u Yr  dutiful  Daughter, 

“ Mary  Grafton. 


“ Rchd  Grafton,  Esq^., 
New  Castle,  Delaware.” 


We 


I 12 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


We  have  much  contemporary  evidence  to  show 
that  music,  as  a formulated  study,  was  rarely  taught 
till  after  the  Revolution.  But  there  never  was  a 
time  in  colonial  life  when  music  was  not  loved  and 
clung  to  with  a sentiment  that  is  difficult  of  expla- 
nation, but  must  not  be  underrated. 

Dr.  John  Earle  gives  in  his  Microcosmographie , 
the  character  of  a Puritan  woman,  or  a “ shee- 
precise  Hypocrite,”  saying  “ shee  suffers  not  her 
daughters  to  learne  on  the  Virginalls,  because  of 
their  affinity  with  the  Organs,”  yet  I find  Judge 
Sewall,  a true  Puritan,  taking  his  wife’s  virginals  to 
be  repaired.  I supposed  she  played  psalm  tunes 
on  them.  Spinets  and  harpsichords  were  brought 
to  wealthy  citizens.  Copies  of  old-time  music 
show  how  very  elementary  were  the  performances 
on  these  instruments.  Listeners  were  profoundly 
moved  at  the  sound,  but  it  would  seem  far  from 
inspiring  to-day. 

“The  notes  of  slender  harpsichords  with  tapping,  twinkling  quills. 
Or  carrolling  to  a spinet  with  its  thin,  metallic  thrills.” 

Even  the  “ new  Clementi  with  glittering  keys  ” 
gave  but  a tinny  sound.  Girls  “ raised  a tune,”  how- 
ever, to  these  far  from  resonant  accompaniments, 
and  sung  their  ballads  and  sentimental  ditties,  un- 
hampered by  thoughts  of  technique  and  methods 

and 


Elizabeth  Quincy  Wendell,  1 720  circa 


Women  Teachers  and  Girl  Scholars  113 


and  schools.  Many  of  these  old  musical  instru- 
ments are  still  in  existence.  The  harpsichord 
bought  for  “little  Miss  Custis”  is  in  its  rightful 
home  at  Mount  Vernon. 

By  Revolutionary  times,  girls’  boarding  schools 
had  sprung  into  existence  in  large  towns,  and 
certainly  filled  a great  want.  One  New  England 
school,  haloed  with  romance,  was  kept  by  Mrs. 
Susanna  Rawson,  who  was  an  actress,  the  daugh- 
ter of  an  English  officer,  and  married  to  a musician. 
She  was  also  a play-writer  and  wrote  one  novel  of 
great  popularity,  Charlotte  Temple.  Eliza  Southgate 
Bowne  gives  some  glimpses  of  the  life  at  this  school 
in  her  letters.  She  was  fourteen  years  when  she 
thus  wrote  to  her  father  : — 

“ Hon.  Father  : 

“ I am  again  placed  at  school  under  the  tuition  of 
an  amiable  lady,  so  mild,  so  good,  no  oite  can  help  loving 
her ; she  treats  all  her  scholars  with  such  tenderness  as 
would  win  the  affection  of  the  most  savage  brute.  I learn 
Embroiderey  and  Geography  at  present,  and  wish  your 
permission  to  learn  Musick.  ...  I have  described  one 
of  the  blessings  of  creation  in  Mrs.  Rawson,  and  now  I 
will  describe  Mrs.  Lyman  as  the  reverse : she  is  the  worst 
woman  I ever  knew  of  or  that  I ever  saw,  nobody  knows 
what  I suffered  from  the  treatment  of  that  woman.” 

This  Mrs.  Eyman  kept  a boarding  school  at 
1 Medford ; 


1 14  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

Medford;  eight  girls  slept  in  one  room,  the  fare 
was  meagre,  and  the  education  kept  close  company 
with  the  fare. 

The  Moravian  schools  at  Bethlehem,  Pennsyl- 
vania, were  widely  popular.  President  John 
Adams  wrote  to  his  daughter  of  the  girls’  school 
that  one  hundred  and  twenty  girls  lived  in  one 
house  and  slept  in  one  garret  in  single  beds  in  two 
long  rows.  He  says,  “ How  should  you  like  to 
lme  in  such  a nunnery?”  Eliza  Southgate  Bowne 
wrote  a pretty  account  of  this  school : — 

“ The  first  was  merely  a sewing  school , little  children  and 
a pretty  single  sister  about  30,  with  her  white  skirt,  white 
short  tight  waistcoat,  nice  handkerchief  pinned  outside,  a 
muslin  apron  and  a close  cap,  of  the  most  singular  form  you 
can  imagine.  I can’t  describe  it.  The  hair  is  all  put  out  ot 
sight,  turned  back,  and  no  border  to  the  cap,  very  unbe- 
coming and  very  singular,  tied  under  the  chin  with  a pink 
ribbon  — blue  for  the  married,  white  for  the  widows.  Here 
was  a Piano  forte  and  another  sister  teaching  a little 
girl  music.  We  went  thro’  all  the  different  school  rooms, 
some  misses  of  sixteen,  their  teachers  were  very  agreeable 
and  easy,  and  in  every  room  was  a Piano.” 

She  also  tells  of  the  great  dormitory  ; the  beds  of 
singular  shape,  high  and  covered  ; a single  hanging- 
lamp  lighted  at  night,  with  one  sister  walking  patrol. 

Though  the  education  given  to  girls  in  these 

boarding 


Women  Teachers  and  Girl  Scholars  115 

boarding  schools  wgs  not  very  profound,  they  had 
at  the  close  of  the  school  year  a grand  opportunity 
of  “showing-off”  in  a school  exhibition.  Mary 
Grafton  Dulany  wrote  when  thirteen  years  old  to 
her  father,  from  a Philadelphia  school : — 

“ I went  to  Madame  B.s  exhibition.  There  were  five 
Crowns,  two  principal  for  Eminence  in  Lessons,  and 
Virtue.  They  were  crowned  in  great  style  in  the  Assembly 
Rooms  in  the  presence  of  500  Spectators.” 

Mrs.  Quincy  wrote  of  a school  which  she  attended 
in  1784,  of  what  she  termed  “ the  breaking  up  ” : — 
“ A stage  was  erected  at  the  end  of  the  room,  covered 
with  a carpet,  ornamented  with  evergreens  and  lighted  by 
candles  in  gilt  branches.  Two  window  curtains  were 
drawn  aside  from  the  centre  before  it  and  the  audience 
were  seated  on  the  benches  of  the  schoolroom.  The 
‘Search  after  Happiness,’  by  Mrs.  More,  ‘The  Milliner,’ 
and  ‘ The  Dove,’  by  Madame  Genlis  were  performed. 
In  the  first  I acted  Euphelia,  one  of  the  court  ladies,  and 
also  sung  a song  intended  in  the  play  for  one  of  the 
daughters  of  Urania,  but  as  I had  the  best  voice  it  was 
given  to  me.  My  dress  was  a pink  and  green  striped  silk, 
feathers  and  flowers  decorated  my  head  ; and  with  bracelets 
on  my  arms  and  paste  buckles  on  my  shoes  I thought  I 
made  a splendid  appearance.  The  only  time  I ever  rode 
in  a sedan  chair  was  on  this  occasion,  when  after  being 
dressed  at  home,  I was  conveyed  in  one  to  Miss  Ledyard’s 
residence.  Hackney  coaches  were  then  unknown  in  New 

York. 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


1 1 6 

York.  In  the  second  piece  I acted  the  milliner  and  by  some 
strange  notion  of  Miss  Ledyard’s  or  my  own  was  dressed 
in  a gown,  cap,  handkerchief  and  apron  of  my  mother’s, 
with  a pair  of  spectacles  to  look  like  an  elderly  woman 
— a proof  how  little  we  understood  the  character  of  a 
French  milliner.  When  the  curtain  was  drawn,  many  of 
the  audience  declared  it  must  be  Mrs.  Morton  herself  on 
the  stage.  How  my  mother  with  her  strict  notions  and 
prejudices  against  the  theatre  ever  consented  to  such  pro- 
ceedings is  still  a surprise  to  me.” 

All  parents  did  not  approve  of  those  exhibitions. 
Major  Dulany  wrote  with  decision  to  his  daughter 
that  he  lamented  the  boldness  and  over-assurance 
which  accompanied  any  success  in  such  perform- 
ances, and  which  proceeded,  he  deemed,  from  cal- 
lous feeling. 

These  plays  were  merely  a revival  of  an  old 
fashion  when  English  school  children  took  part  in 
miracle  plays  or  mysteries.  In  the  seventeenth 
century  schoolmasters  took  great  pride  in  writing 
exhibition  plays  for  their  pupils.  Dreary  enough 
these  acts  or  interludes  are.  One  forced  all  the 
characters  to  act  “anomalies  of  all  the 
chiefest  parts  of  grammar  ” — oh  ! 
the  poor  lads  that  therein 
played  their 


CHAPTER  V 


HORNBOOK  AND  PRIMER 


To  those  who  are  in  years  but  Babes  I bow 
My  Ben  to  teach  them  what  the  Letters  be. 

And.  how  they  may  improve  their  A.  B.  C. 

Nor  let  my  pretty  Children  them  despise. 

All  needs  must  there  begin,  that  would  be  wise, 

Nor  let  them  fall  under  Discouragement, 

Who  at  their  Hornbook  stick,  and  time  hath  spent, 

Upon  that  A.  B.  C.,  while  others  do 
Into  their  Primer  or  their  Psalter  go. 

— A Book  for  Boys  and  Girls , or  Country  Rhimes  for  Children. 

John  Bunyany  1686. 

THE  English  philosopher,  John  Locke,  in 
his  Thoughts  concerning  Education , written 
in  1690,  says  the  method  of  teaching  chil- 
dren to  read  in  England  at  that  time  was  always 
“the  ordinary  road  of  Horn-book,  Primer,  Psalter, 
Testament,  and  Bible.”  These,  he  said,  “engage 
the  liking  of  children  and  tempt  them  to  read.” 
The  road  was  the  same  in  New  England,  but  it 
would  hardly  be  called  a tempting  method. 

The  first  book  from  which  the  children  of  the 

U7  colonists 


1 1 8 Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

colonists  learned  their  letters  and  to  spell,  was  not 
really  a book  at  all,  in  our  sense  of  the  word.  It 
was  what  was  called  a hornbook.  A thin  piece  of 
wood,  usually  about  four  or  five  inches  long  and  two 
inches  wide,  had  placed  upon  it  a sheet  of  paper  a 
trifle  smaller,  printed  at  the  top  with  the  alphabet  in 
large  and  small  letters;  below  were  simple  syllables 
such  as  ab,  eb,  ib,  ob,  etc. ; then  came  the  Lord’s 
Prayer.  This  printed  page  was  covered  with  a thin 
sheet  of  yellowish  horn,  which  was  not  as  trans- 
parent as  glass,  yet  permitted  the  letters  to  be  read 
through  it ; and  both  the  paper  and  the  horn  were 
fastened  around  the  edges  to  the  wood  by  a narrow 
strip  ot  metal,  usually  brass,  which  was  tacked  down 
by  fine  tacks  or  nails.  It  was,  therefore,  a book 
ot  a single  page.  At  the  two  upper  corners  of  the 
page  were  crosses,  hence  to  read  the  hornbook  was 
often  called  “ reading  a criss-cross  row.”  At  the 
lower  end  of  the  wooden  back  was  usually  a little 
handle  which  often  was  pierced  with  a hole  ; thus  the 
hornbook  could  be  carried  by  a string,  which  could 
be  placed  around  the  neck  or  hung  by  the  side. 

When,  five  years  ago,  was  published  my  book 
entitled  Customs  and  Fashions  in  Old  New  England , 
I wrote  that  I did  not  know  of  the  preservation  of 
a single  hornbook  in  America ; though  for  many 
years  eager  and  patient  antiquaries,  of  English  and 

of 


then-  £ 
ns  ;'  And'gi 
ctnptation,  bu^id 

■ -nux;,-  :.; 


Hornbook  owned  by  Mrs.  Anne  Robinson  Minturn 


Hornbook  and  Primer 


1 19 

of  American  blood,  had  vainly  sought  in  American 
historical  collections,  in  American  libraries,  in  Ameri- 
can rural  homes,  for  a true  American  hornbook  ; that 
is,  one  studied  by  American  children  of  colonial 
times.  The  publication  of  my  statement  has  made 
known  to  me  three  American  hornbooks.  The 
first  is  the  shabby  little  treasure  owned  by  Mrs. 
Anne  Robinson  Minturn  of  Shoreham,  Vermont, 
found  hidden  under  the  dusty  eaves  of  a Vermont 
garret.  Idle  illustration  shows  its  exact  size.  On 
the  back  is  a paper  coarsely  stamped  in  red  with  a 
portrait  of  Charles  II.,  king  of  England,  on  horse- 
back. This  may  indicate  its  age,  but  not  its  exact 
date.  The  young  colonist  who  owned  it  was  by 
this  print  taught  loyalty  to  the  Crown,  though  in  a 
far  land. 

The  second  hornbook  is  owned  by  Miss  Grace 
L.  Gordon  of  Flushing,  Long  Island.  It  is  a fam- 
ily heirloom,  having  come  to  its  present  owner 
through  a great-uncle  who  was  born  in  1782,  and 
stated  that  it  was  used  by  his  father,  who  was  born 
in  1736.  The  tablet  is  of  oak,  and  the  back  is 
covered  with  a red  paper  stamped  with  the  design 
of  a double-headed  eagle.  The  third,  owned  by 
Mrs.  John  W.  Norton  of  Guildford,  Connecticut,  is 
almost  precisely  like  Miss  Gordon’s,  and  is  equally 
well  preserved. 


From 


I 20 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


From  these  shabby  little  relics  and  from  thou- 
sands of  their  ill-printed,  but  useful  kinsfolk,  childish 


Hornbook  owned  by  Miss  Gordon 

lips  in  America  first  read  aloud  the  letters,  pointed 
firmly  out  by  a knitting  needle  in  some  dame’s 

hand. 


H ornbook  and  Primer 


ill 


hand.  { Undisturbed  by  kindergarten  inductions 
and  suggestions,  unbewildered  by  baleful  processes 
and  diagrams,  unthreatened  by  scientific  principles'} 
of  instruction,  did  the  young  colonists  stoutly  shout 
their  a-b  abs,  did  they  spell  out  their  prayer,  did 
they  read  in  triumphal  chorus  their  criss-cross  row. 
Isn’t  it  strange  that  these  three  lonely  little  ghosts 
of  old-time  schooling  should  be  the  only  representa- 
tives of  their  regiments  of  classmates?  Wouldn’t  it 
seem  that  tender  association,  or  miserly  hoarding, 
or  even  forgetful  neglect  would  have  made  some 
greater  salvage  from  the  vast  number  of  hornbooks 
sent  to  this  country  in  the  century  after  its  settle- 
ment ; that  by  intent  or  accident  many  scores  would 
have  survived  ? But  these  are  all  ; three  little 
battered  oaken  backs  and  stubby  handles,  three 
faded  paper  slips,  a splintered  sheet  or  two  of 
horn,  a few  strips  of  brass  tape,  a score  of  tiny 
hand-wrought  nails  — all  poor  things  enough,  but 
shaping  themselves  into  precious  and  treasured 
relics.  Another  of  their  kindred,  a penny  horn- 
book, proved  its  present  value  at  a sale  in  London 
in  1893,  by  fetching  the  far  from  ignoble  sum  of 
sixty-five  pounds. 

One  of  these  little  hornbooks  filled  in  its  single 
self  what  has  become  a vast  item  in  public  school 
expenses.  As  Mr.  Martin  wittily  expresses  it,  “ it 


was 


122 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

was  in  embryo  all  that  the  Massachusetts  statutes 
now  designate  by  the  formal  phrase  ‘ text-books 
and  supplies.’  ” 

The  knitting  needle  of  the  schooldame  could  be 
dignified  by  the  pompous  name  of  fescue,  a pointer  ; 
and  something  of  that  nature,  a straw,  a pin,  a quill, 
a skewer  of  wood,  was  always  used  to  direct  chil- 
dren’s eyes  to  letter  or  word. 

There  certainly  were  plenty  of  these  humble  little 
engines  of  instruction  in  America;  old  Judge  Sewall 
had  them  for  his  fourteen  children  at  the  end  of 
the  seventeeth  century,  as  we  know  from  his  diary  ; 
he  wrote  in  1691  of  his  son  Joseph  going  to  school 
“ his  cousin  Jane  accompanying  him,  carrying  his 
horn-book.”  Waitstill  Winthrop  sent  them  to  his 
little  Connecticut  Plantation  nieces  in  1716.  It  is 
told  of  one  zealous  Puritan  minister  that  hating 
the  symbolism  of  the  cross  he  blotted  it  out  of  the 
criss-cross  row  of  a number  of  hornbooks  imported 
to  Boston. 

“ Gilt  horns  ” were  sold  in  Philadelphia  with 
Bibles  and  Primers,  as  we  learn  from  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Gazette  of  December  4,  1760,  and  in  New 
York  in  1753,  so  says  the  New  York  Gazette  of  May 
14,  of  that  year.  Pretty  little  lesson-toys,  these 
gilded  horns  must  have  proved,  but  not  so  fine  as 
the  hornbooks  of  silver  and  ivory  used  by  young 


misses 


show  demure  little  maids  and  masters  with  hanging 
hornbooks.  Even  the  pictures  of  the  Holy  Fam- 


Hornbook  and  Primer 

misses  ol  quality  in  England.  Scores  of  pictures  by 
seventeenth-century  artists  — on  canvas  and  glass  - 


Back  of  Hornbook 


124 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


ily  show  the  infant  Christ,  hornbook  in  hand,  ten- 
derly taught  by  the  Virgin  Mother. 

The  hornbook  was  called  by  other  names,  horn- 
gig,  horn-bat,  battledore-book,  absey-book,  etc.  ; 
and  in  Dutch  it  was  the  a-b-boordje.  They  were 
worked  in  needlework,  and  written  in  ink,  and 
stamped  on  tin  and  carved  in  wood,  as  well  as 
printed,  and  Prior  tells  in  rhyme  of  a hornbook, 
common  enough  in  England,  which  must  have 
proved  eminently  satisfactory  to  the  student. 

“ To  master  John  the  English  maid 

A horn-book  gives  of  gingerbread  ; 

And  that  the  child  may  learn  the  better. 

As  he  can  name,  he  eats  the  letter.” 

To  this  day  in  England,  at  certain  Fairs  and  in 
Kensington  bake-shops,  these  gingerbread  horn- 
books are  made  and  sold  in  spite  of  the  solemn 
warning  of  British  moralists  — “ No  liquorish  learn- 
ing to  thy  babes  extend.”  Still 

“All  the  letters  are  digested. 

Hateful  ignorance  detested.” 

I have  seen  in  New  England  what  were  called 
“ cookey-moulds,”  which  were  of  heavy  wood  in- 
cised with  the  alphabet,  were  of  ancient  Dutch  man- 
ufacture, and  had  been  used  for  making  those 
“ koeckje  ” hornbooks. 


The 


The  Roval  Rattlednre 


The  Royal  Battledore:  Being  the  firft  Irrtroduftory  Part  of  the 
Circle  of  the  Sciemet,  See.  Publi  fil’d  by  the  Kinct’s  Authority. 

Z«OKdon  : Printed  by  J.  N(wbcryt  in  St.  PauT:  Cburcb-Yard,  and  B.  Collins,  in  Sarum,  Pr.  i4» 
A\(o  the  Royal  Primer,  orfecond  Book  for  Children,  Price  3d.  bound,  adorn'd  with  Cute. 


He  that  ne’er  learn;  hU  ABC,  For  ever  will  a Blockhead  be. 


Hornbook  and  Primer 


125 


The  sight  of  an  old  hornbook  must  always  lie 
of  interest  to  any  one  of  any  power  of  imagination 
or  of  thoughtful  mind,  who  can  read  between  the 
irregular  lines,  the  ill-shapen  letters, Cits  true  signifi- 
cance as  the  emblem,  the  well-spring  of  English 
education  and  literature?)  This  thought  of  the  sym- 
bolism of  the  hornbook  is  expressed  in  quaint  words 
on  the  back  of  a shabby  battered  specimen  of  ques- 
tionable age  in  the  British  Museum  : — 

u What  more  could  be  wished  for  even  by  a literary 
Gourmand  under  the  Tudors  than  to  be  able  to  Read  and 
Spell ; to  repeat  that  holy  Charm  before  which  fled  all 
unholy  Ghosts,  Goblins,  or  even  the  Old  Gentleman  him- 
self, to  the  very  bottom  of  the  Red  Sea  ; to  say  that  im- 
mortal Prayer  which  seems  Heaven  to  all  who  ex  animo  use 
it ; and  to  have  those  mathematical  powers  by  knowing 
units,  from  which  spring  countless  myriads.” 

For  a fuller  account  of  the  hornbook,  readers 
should  go  to  the  History  of  the  Hornbook,  by 
Andrew  W.  Tuer,  two  splendid  volumes  forming- 
one  of  the  most  interesting  and  exhaustive  ac- 
counts of  any  special  educational  topic  that  has 
ever  been  written. 

The  printed  cardboard  battledore  was  a successor 
of  the  hornbook.  This  was  often  printed  on  a double 
fold  of  stiff  card  with  a third  fold  or  flap  lapping 


over 


126 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


over  like  an  old  pocket-book.  These  battledores 
were  issued  in  such  vast  numbers  that  it  is  futile 
to  attempt  even  to  allude  to  the  myriad  of  publishers. 
An  affine  of  the  hornbook  is  seen  in  the  wooden 
“ reading-boards  ” which  were  used  a hundred  years 
ago  in  Erasmus  Hall,  the  famous  old  academy  built 
in  1786  in  Flatbush,  Long  Island.  It  is  still  stand- 
ing and  still  used  for  educational  purposes.  These 
“ reading-boards  ” are  tablets  of  wood,  fifteen  inches 
long,  covered  on  either  side  with  time-yellowed  paper 
printed  in  large  letters  with  some  simple  reading- 
lesson.  T he  old  fashioned  long  s in  the  type  proves 
their  age.  Through  a pierced  hole  a loop  of  string 
suspended  these  boards  before  a class  of  little  schol- 
ars, who  doubtless  all  read  in  chorus.  Similar  ones 
bearing  the  alphabet  are  still  used  in  Cornish  Sun- 
day-schools. They  were  certainly  used  in  Dutch 
schools,  two  centuries  ago,  as  the  illustrations  of 
old  Dutch  books  prove. 

A prytner  or  'primer  was  specifically  and  ecclesi- 
astically before  and  after  the  Reformation  in  Eng- 
land a book  of  private  devotions.  ‘As  authorized 
by  the  Church,  and  written  or  printed  partially  or 
wholly  in  the  vernacular,  it  contained  devotions  for 
the  hours,  the  Creed,  Lord’s  Prayer,  Ten  Command- 
ments, some  psalms  and  certain  instructions  as  to 
the  elements  of  Christian  knowledge.)  These  little 

books 


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“ My  New  Battledore 


H ornbook  and  Primer 


127 


books  often  opened  with  the  criss-cross  row  or 
alphabet  arranged  hornbook  fashion,  hence  the  term 
primer  naturally  came  to  be  applied  to  all  element- 


Reading  Board.  Erasmus  Hall 


ary  books  for  children’s  use.  A,  B,  C,  the  Middle- 
English  name  for  the  alphabet  in  the  forms  apsey, 
abce,  absie,  etc. , was  also  given  to  what  we  now  call 
a primer.  Shakespeare  called  it  absey-book.  The 
list  in  Dyves  Pragmaticus  runs  : — 


“I 


128 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


‘ I have  inke,  paper  and  pennes  to  lode  with  a barge. 

Primers  and  abces  and  books  of  small  charge, 

What  Lack  you  Scollers,  come  hither  to  me.” 

The  book  which  succeeded  the  hornbook  in  gen- 
eral use  was  the  New  England  Primer It  was  the 
most  universally  studied  school-book  that  has  ever 
been  used  in  America ; for  one  hundred  years 
it  was  the  school-book  of  America ; for  nearly  an- 
other hundred  years  it  was  frequently  printed  and 
much  used.  More  than  three  million  copies  of  this 
New  England  Primer  were  printed,  so  declares  its 
historian,  Paul  Leicester  Ford.  These  were  studied 
bv  many  more  millions  of  school-children.  All  of 
us  whose  great-grandparents  were  American  born 
may  be  sure  that  those  great-grandparents,  and 
their  fathers  and  mothers  and  ancestors  before  them 
learned  to  read  from  one  of  these  little  books.  It 
was  so  religious  in  all  its  teachings  and  suggestions 
that  it  has  been  fitly  called  the  “ Little  Bible  of 
New  England.” 

It  is  a poorly  printed  little  book  about  five  inches 
long  and  three  wide,  of  about  eighty  pages.  /it  con- 
tains the  alphabet,  and  a short  table  of  easy  syllables, 
such  as  a-b  ab,  e-b  eb,  and  words  up  to  those  of  six 
syllables./  This  was  called  a syllabarium.  There 
were  twelve  five-syllable  words  ; of  these  five  were 
abomination , edification , humiliation , mortification , and 

purification. 


Hornbook  and  Primer  129 

purification.  Adhere  were  a morning  and  evening 
prayer  for  children,  and  a grace  to  be  said  before 
meat.  Then  followed  a set  of  little  rhymes  which 
have  become  known  everywhere,  and  are  frequently 
quoted.  I Each  letter  of  the  alphabet  is  illustrated 
with  a Blurred  little  picture.  Of  these,  two-thirds 
represent  Biblical  incidents.  They  begin:  — 


“ In  Adam’s  fall 
We  sinned  all,” 

and  end  with  Z : — 


“ Zaccheus  he 
Did  climb  a tree 
His  Lord  to  see.” 


In  the  early  days  of  the  Primer,  all  the  colonies 
were  true  to  the  English  king,  and  the  rhyme  for  the 
letter  K reads : — 

“King  Charles  the  Good 
No  man  of  blood.” 

But  by  Revolutionary  years  the  verse  for  K was 
changed  to  : — 

“ Queens  and  Kings 
Are  Gaudy  Things.” 

Later  verses  tell  the  praise  of  George  Washington. 
Then  comes  a series  of  Bible  questions  and  answers; 
then  an  “ alphabet  of  lessons  for  youth,”  consisting  of 
verses  of  the  Bible  beginning  successively  with  A,  B, 
C,  and  so  on.  X was  a difficult  initial  letter,  and  had 

to 


K 


130 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


to  he  contenf.ec,  with  “ Xhort  one  another  dailyx 
etc.”  After  the\Lord’s  Prayer  and  Apostle’s  Creecp 
appeared  sometimes  a list  of  names  for  men  and 


MR.  John  Rogers,  Minifter  of  the 
Gofpel  in  London,  was  the  firft  Mar- 
tyr in  Queen  Mary's  Reign,  and  was  burnt 
at  SmithfieU February  14th  1554,  Hl$ 
Wife  with  nine  -ffnall  Children,  and  one 
at  her  Breaft,  following  him  to  the  Stake; 
with  which  forrowful  Sight  he  was  not  in 
the  leaft  daunted,  but  with  woanderful  Pati- 
ence died  ccrurageoufly  for  the'  Gofpel  ofjefus 
Chrift.  Sons 


John  Rogers 


women,  to  teach  children  to  spell  their  own  names. 
The  largest  and  most  interesting  picture  was  that 
of  the  burning  at  the  stake  of  John  Rogers;  and 
after  this  a six  page  set  of  pious  rhymes  which  the 

martyr 


Hornbook  and  Primer 


l3 1 


martyr  left  at  his  death  for  his  family  of  small  chil- 
dren. 

After  the  year  1750,  a few  very  short  stories  were 
added  to  its  pages,  and  were  probably  all  the  chil- 
dren’s stories  that  many  of  the  scholars  of  that  day 
ever  saw.  It  is  interesting  to  see  that  the  little 
prayer  so  well  known  to-day,  beginning  “ Now  I lay 
me  down  to  sleep,”  is  usually  found  in  the  New 
England  Primer  of  dates  later  than  the  year  1737. 
([he  Shorter  Catechism  was,  perhaps,  the  most  im- 
portant part  of  this  primery  It  was  so  called  in 
contrast  to  the  catechism  in  use  in  England  called 
The  Careful  Father  and  Pious  Child , which  had 
twelve  hundred  questions  with  answers.  The  Shorter 
Catechism  had  but  aijiundred  and  seven  questions^ 
though  some  of  the  answers  were  long.  Usually 
another  catechism  was  found  in  the  primer,  called 
(, Spiritual  Milk  for  Babes.  It  was  written  by  the 
Boston  minister,  John  Cotton,  and  it  had  but 
(eighty-seven  questions  with  short  answers.  Some- 
times a Dialogue  between  Christ , Youth , and  the  Devil 
was  added. 

ddie  Shorter  Catechism  was  the  special  delight  of 
all  New  Englanders.  Cotton  Mather  called  it  a 
“little  watering  pot”  to  shed  good  lessons.  He 
begged  writing  masters  to  set  sentences  from  it  to 
be  copied  by  their  pupils  ; and  lie  advised  mothers 

to 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


132 


to  “ continually  drop  something  of  the  Catechism 
on  their  children,  as  Honey  from  the  Rock.” 
Learning  the  catechism  was  enforced  by  law  in 
New  England,  and  the  deacons  and  ministers  visited 
and  examined  families  to  see  that  the  law  was 
obeyed.  Thus  it  may  plainly  be  seen  that 
this  primer  truly  filled  the  requisites  of 
what  the  Roxbury  school  trustees 
called  “ scholastical,  theo- 
logical, and  moral 
discipline.” 


CHAPTER  VI 


SCHOOL-BOOKS 


The  most  worthless  hook  of  a bygone  day  is  a record  worthy  of 
preservation.  Like  a telescopic  star,  its  obscurity  may  render  it 
unavailable  for  most  purposes , hut  it  serves  in  hands  which  know 
how  to  use  it  to  determine  the  places  of  more  important  bodies. 

— A.  de'  Morgan , 184.7. 

WHEN  any  scholar  could  advance  beyond 
hornbook  and  primer  he  was  ready  for 
grammar.  This  was  not  English  gram- 
mar, but  Latin,  and  the  boy  usually  began  to  study 
it  long  before  he  had  any  book  to  con.  A bulky 
and  wretched  grammar  called  Lilly’s  was  most  popu- 
lar in  England.  Locke  said  the  study  of  it  was  a 
religious  observance  without  which  no  scholar  was 
orthodox.  It  named  twenty-five  different  kinds  of 
nouns  and  devoted  twenty-two  pages  of  solid  print 
to  declensions  of  nouns  ; it  gave  seven  genders,  with 
fifteen  pages  of  rules  for  genders  and  exceptions. 
Under  such  a regime  we  can  sympathize  with 
Nash’s  outburst,  “ Syn taxis  and  prosodia  ! you  are 

jii  tormentors 


134 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


tormentors  of  wit  and  good  for  nothing  but  to  get 
schoolmasters  twopence  a week.” 

It  was  said  of  Ezekiel  Cheever,  the  old  Boston 
schoolmaster,  who  taught  for  over  seventy  years, 
“ He  taught  us  Lilly  and  he  Gospel  taught.”  But 
he  also  wrote  a Latin  grammar  of  his  own,  Chee- 
ver s Accidence , which  had  unvarying  popularity  for 
over  a century.  Cheever  was  a thorough  gram- 
marian. Cotton  Mather  thus  eulogized  him  : — 

“ Were  Grammar  quite  extinct,  yet  at  his  Brain 
The  Candle  might  have  well  been  Lit  again.” 

There  was  brought  forth  at  his  death  a broadside 
entitled  The  Grammarian  s Funeral.  A fac-simile 
of  it  is  here  given.  Josiah  Quincy,  later  in  life 
the  president  of  Harvard  College,  wrote  an  ac- 
count of  his  dismal  school  life  at  Andover.  He 
entered  the  school  when  he  was  six  years  old,  and 
on  the  form  by  his  side  sat  a man  of  thirty.  Both 
began  Cheever  s Accidence , and  committed  to  memory 
pages  of  a book  which  the  younger  child  certainly 
could  not  understand,  and  no  advance  was  per- 
mitted till  the  first  book  was  conquered.  He 
studied  through  the  book  twenty  times  before  mas- 
tering it.  The  hours  of  study  were  long  — eight 
hours  a day  — and  this  upon  lessons  absolutely 
meaningless. 


The 


€t}e  (grammarians  jfuneral. 


O R. 


An  ELEGY  compofcd  upon  the  Death  of  Mr.  fobn  Woodmancy,  \ 
formerly  a School-Mailer  in  Bojlon  : But  now  Publilhed  upon 
the  DEATH  of  the  Venerable 

Mr.  Ezekiel  Chevers, 

The  late  and  famous  School-Mafter  of  Bojton  in  New-Eng/and  ; Who  Departed  this  Life  the 
Twenty -firjl  of  Augujl  1708.  Early  in  the  Morning.  In  the  Ninety-fourth  Year  of  his  Age. 


a Lillies  I orch  they  Hand  to  do  their  functions. 

Vith  Prepofttion  ; hut  the  mod  affedtion 
Fas  ftill  obferved  in  the  Lnterjeftion- 
Tie  Subftantive  feeming  the  limbed  beft, 

Fould  fet  an  hand  to  bear  him  to  his  Reft, 
he  Adjeblive  with  very  grief  did  fay, 
lold  me  by  ftrength,  or  I fliall  faint  away. 

'he  Clouds  of  Tears  did  over-caft  their  faces, 

'ea  all  were  in  mod  lamentable  Cafes- 
Tie  five  Declenfions  did  the  Work  decline, 
ind  Told  the  Prenoun  7u,  The  work  is  thine  r 
ut  in  this  cafe  thofe  have  no  call  to  go 
'hat  want  the  Vocative , and  can't  fay  O ! 

'he  Pronouns  faid  that  if  the  Nouns  were  there, 
here  was  no  need  of  them,  they  might  themlpare : 
ut  for  the  lake  of  Emphafis  they  would, 
n their  Dilcretion  do  what  ere  they  could, 
ireat  honour  was  confer’d  on  Conjugations , 

They  were  to  follow  next  to  the  Relations, 
imo  did  love  him  bed,  and  Doceo  might 
llledge  lie  was  his  Glory  and  Delight. 

Jut  Lego  laid  by  me  he  got  his  skill, 

Ind  therefore  next  the  Herfe  I follow  will. 

t Indio  faid  little,  hearing  them  fo  hot, 

ifet  knew  by  him  much  Reaming  he  had  got,-, 

) Verbs  the  Aflive  were.  Or  Pafftve  fure, 
sum  to  be  Neuter  could  not  well  endure: 

Jut  this  was  commpn  to  them  all  to  Moan 
Their  load  of  grief  rhejf  could  not  foon  Depone. 

\ doleful  Day  for  Verbs,  they  look  fo  moody, 

They  drove  Speftators  to  a Mournful  Study. 

The  Verbs  irregular,  ’ewas  thought  bylbme, 

Would  break  no  rule,  if  they  were  pleas'd  to  come. 
saudeo  could  not  be  found  ; fearing  difgrace 
:Ie  had  with  drawn,  fent  Mtereo  in  his  Place. 
vojfum  did  to  the  utmoft  he  was  able, 
ind  bore  as  Stout  as  if  he'd  been  A Table. 


Volo  was  willing,  Nolo  loine-what  flout. 

But  Malo  rather  chofe,  not  to  ftand  out. 

Poffum  and  Volo  wiflfd  all  might  afford 
Their  help,  but  had  not  an  Imperative  Word. 

Edo  from  Service  would  by.  no  means  Swerve, 
Rather  than  fail,  he  thought  the  Cakes  to  Serve. 

Fio  was  taken  in  a fit,  and  faid, 

By  him  a Mournful  POEM  Ihould  be  made. 

Fero  was  willing  for  to  bear  a part, 

Altho’  he  did  it  with  an  aking  heart. 

Feror  excus’d,  with  grief  he  wasfo  Torn, 

He  could  not  bear,  he  needed  to  be  born. 

Such  Nouns  and  Verbs  as  we  defective  find, 

No  GranK.:ur  Rule  did  their  attendance  bind. 

They  were  excepted,  and  exempted  hence. 

But  Supines,  all  did  blame  for  negligence. 

Verbs  Offspring,  Participles  hand-in-hand. 

Follow,  and  by  the  lame  ditedion  ftand  : 

The  reft  Promifcuoufly  did  croud  and  cumber, 

Such  Multitudes  of  each,  they  wanted  Number. 
Next  to  the  Corps  to  make  th’  attendance  even, 
Jove,  Mercury,  Apollo  came  from  heaven. 

And  Virgil,  Cato,  gods,  men,  Rivers,  Winds, 

With  Elegies,  Tears,  Sighs,  came  in  their  kinds 
Ovid  from  Pontus  lialt’s  Apparrelfd  thus, 

In  Exile-weeds  bringing  De  Trtjltbus  : 

And  Homer  fure  had  been  among  the  Rout, 

But  thac  the  Stories  fay  his  Eyes  were  out. 

Queens,  Cities,  Countries,  Jjlands,  Come 

All  Trees,  Birds,  Fillies,  and  each  Word  in  Um. 

What  Syntax  here  can  you  expgdt  to  find  > 
Where  each  one  beats  fuch  difeompofed  mind. 
Figures  of  Didion  and  Conftrudion, 

Do  little  : Yet  ftand  fadly  looking  on. 

That  fuch  a Train  may  in  their  motion  chord, 
Profodia  gives  the  meafure  Word  for  Word. 

Sic  Meefius  Cecinit, 

25en?. ^Tompfon- 


School-books 


135 


The  custom  was  in  Boston — until  this  century 
— to  study  through  the  grammar  three  times  before 
any  application  to  parsing. 

Far  better  wit  than  any  found  in  an  old-time  jest 
book  was  the  sub-title  of  a very  turgid  Latin  gram- 
mar, “ A delysious  Syrupe  newly  Claryfied  for 
Yonge  Scholars  yt  thurste  for  the  Swete  Lycore 
ot  Latin  Speche.” 

The  first  English  Grammar  used  in  Boston  pub- 
lic schools  and  retained  in  use  till  this  century,  was 
The  Young  Lady  s Accidence , or  a Short  and  Easy 
Introduction  to  English  Grammar , design  d principally 
for  the  use  of  Young  Learners , more  especially  for 
those  of  the  Fair  Sex , though  Proper  for  Either . It 
is  said  that  a hundred  thousand  copies  of  it  were 
sold.  It  was  a very  little  grammar  about  four  or 
five  inches  long  and  two  or  three  wide,  and  had  only 
fifty-seven  pages,  but  it  was  a very  good  little  gram- 
mar when  compared  with  its  fellows,  being  simple 
and  clearly  worded. 

The  fashion  of  the  day  was  to  set  everything  in 
rhyme  as  an  aid  to  memory ; and  even  so  unpoetical 
a subject  as  English  Grammar  did  not  escape  the 
rhyming  writer.  In  the  Grammar  of  the  English 
Tongue , a large  and  formidable  book  in  fine  type, 
all  the  rules  and  lists  of  exceptions  and  definitions 
were  in  verse.  A single  specimen,  the  definition  of 

a 


1 36 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


a letter,  will  show  the  best  style  of  composition, 
which,  when  it  struggled  with  moods  and  tenses,  was 
absolutely  meaningless. 

“ A Letter  is  an  uncompounded  Sound 

Of  which  there  no  Division  can  be  Found, 

Those  Sounds  to  Certain  Characters  we  fix. 

Which  in  the  English  Tongue  are  Twenty-Six.” 

The  spelling  of  that  day  was  wildly  varied.  Dil- 
wortti s Speller  was  one  ot  the  earliest  used,  and  the 
spelling  in  it  differed  much  from  that  of  the 
British  Instructor.  A third  edition  of  The  Child s 
New  Spelling  Book  was  published  in  1744.  Famous 
English  lesson-books  known  among  common  folk 
as  “ Readamadeasies,”  and  book  traders  as  “ Read- 
ing Easies  ” — really  Reading  made  easy  — belied 
their  name.  Some  had  alphabets  on  two  pages 
because  “ One  Alphabet  is  commonly  worn  out 
before  the  Scholar  is  perfect  in  his  Letters.”  It 
is  interesting  to  find  “ Poor  Richard’s  ” sayings  in 
these  English  books,  but  it  is  natural,  too,  when 
we  consider  Franklin’s  popularity  abroad,  and  know 
that  broadsides  printed  with  his  pithy  and  worldly- 
wise  maxims  were  found  hanging  on  the  wall  of 
many  an  English  cottage. 

Not  until  the  days  of  Noah  Webster  and  his 
famous  Spelling  Book  and  Dictionary  was  there 
any  decided  uniformity  of  spelling.  Professor  Earle 

says 


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School-books 


137 


says  the  process  of  compelling  a uniform  spelling 
is  a strife  against  nature.  Certainly  it  took  a long 
struggle  against  nature  to  make  spelling  uniform  in 
America.  In  the  same  letter,  men  of  high  educa- 
tion would  spell  the  same  word  several  different 
wavs.  There  was  no  better  usage  in  England.  The 
edition  of  Milton’s  Paradise  Lost  printed  in  1688 
shows  some  very  grotesque  spelling.  Therefore  it 
is  not  strange  to  find  a New  York  teacher  adver- 
tising to  teach  “ writeing  and  spilling.” 

To  show  that  a fetich  was  made  of  spelling 
seventy-five  years  ago,  I give  this  extract  from  a 
Danbury  school  notice  : — 

“ The  advantages  that  small  children  obtain  at  this  school 
may  be  easily  imagined  when  the  public  are  informed  that 
those  who  spell  go  through  the  whole  of  Webster’s  spelling 
book  twice  a fortnight.” 

The  teaching  of  spelling  in  many  schools  was  pe- 
culiar. The  master  gave  out  the  word,  with  a blow 
of  his  strap  on  the  desk  as  a signal  for  all  to  start 
together,  and  the  whole  class  spelled  out  the  word 
in  syllables  in  chorus.  The  teacher’s  ear  was  so 
trained  and  acute  that  he  at  once  detected  any  mis- 
spelling. If  this  happened,  he  demanded  the  name 
of  the  scholar  who  made  the  mistake.  If  there  was 
any  hesitancy  or  refusal  in  acknowledgment,  he  kept 

the 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


138 

the  whole  class  until,  by  repeated  trials  of  long 
words,  accuracy  was  obtained.  The  roar  of  the 
many  voices  of  the  large  school,  all  pitched  in  dif- 
ferent keys,  could  be  heard  on  summer  days  for 
a long  distance.  In  many  country  schools  the 
scholars  not  only  spelled  aloud  but  studied  all  their 
lessons  aloud,  as  children  in  Oriental  countries  do 
to-day  : and  the  teacher  was  quick  to  detect  any 
lowering  of  the  volume  of  sound  and  would  re- 
prove any  child  who  was  studying  silently.  Some- 
times the  combined  roar  of  voices  became  offensive 
to  the  neighbors  of  the  school,  and  restraining  votes 
were  passed  at  town-meetings. 

The  colonial  school  and  schoolmaster  took  a firm 
stand  on  “cyphering.”  “The  Bible  and  figgers  is 
all  I want  my  boys  to  know,”  said  an  old  farmer. 
Arithmetic  was  usually  taught  without  text-books. 
Teachers  had  manuscript  “sum-books,”  from  which 
they  gave  out  rules  and  problems  in  arithmetic  to 
their  scholars.  Abraham  Lincoln  learned  arithmetic 
from  a “sum-book  ” of  which  he  made  a neat  copy. 
A page  from  this  sum-book  is  here  given  in  reduced 
size.  Too  often  these  sums  were  copied  by  the 
pupil  without  any  explanation  of  the  process  being 
offered  or  rendered  by  the  master.  The  artist 
Trumbull  recalled  that  he  spent  three  weeks,  un- 
aided in  any  way,  over  a single  sum  in  long  division. 

A 


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Page  from  Abraham  Lincoln's  Sum  Book 


School  books 


*39 


A manuscript  sum-book  in  my  possession  is 
marked,  “ Sarah  Keeler  her  Book,  May  ye  ist,  a.d. 
1773,  Ridgbury.”  There  are  multiplication  ex- 
amples of  fifteen  figures  multiplied  by  fifteen,  and 
long  division  examples  of  a dividend  of  quintillions, 
chiefly  in  sevens  and  nines,  divided  by  a mixed 
divisor  of  billions  in  eights  and  fives  — a thing  to 
make  poor  Sarah  turn  in  her  grave.  There  are 
Reductions  Ascending  and  Reductions  Descending 
and  Reductions  both  Ascending  and  Descending 
at  the  same  time,  as  complicated  as  the  computa- 
tions of  the  revolutions  of  the  celestial  spheres. 
There  are  miserable  catch-examples  about  people’s 
ages  and  others  about  collections  of  excises,  with 
“ Proofs,”  and  still  others  about  I know  not  what, 
lor  there  are  within  their  borders  mysterious  abbre- 
viations and  signs,  like  some  black  magic.  Sainted 
Sarah  Keeler!  a melancholy  sympathy  settles  on  me 
as  I regard  this  book  and  all  the  extended  sums 
you  knew,  and  think  of  the  paths  of  pleasantness  of 
the  present  pupils  of  kindergartens;  and  wonder 
what  kind  of  a mathematical  song  or  game  or 
allegory  could  be  invented  to  disguise  these  very 
“plain  figures.” 

Sometimes  a zealous  teacher  would  write  out 
tables  of  measures  and  a few  blind  rules  for  his 
scholars.  This  amateur  arithmetic  would  be  copied 

and 


140  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

and  recopied  until  it  was  punctuated  with  mis- 
takes. 

Many  scholars  never  saw  a printed  arithmetic  ; 

and  when  the 
master  had  one 
for  circu  lation 
it  was  scarcely 
more  helpful 
than  the  sum- 
book.  One  of 
the  most  ancient 
arithmetics  was 

mathematician 
Record,  who 
lived  from  the 
year  1500  to 
1558.  He  is 
said  to  have  in- 
vented the  sign 
of  equality  = , 
but  there  is  noth- 
ing in  his  book 
to  indicate  this 
fact.  The  terms 
“ arsemetrick  ” 
and  “augrime” 


written  by  the 


Cockers 

ARITHMETICK: 

BEING 

A plain  and  familiar  Method,fuitable 
to  the  meaneft  Capacity,  for  the  full  under- 
ftanding  of  that  incomparable  Art,  as  it  is 
now  taught  by  the  ableil  School-Maftersin 
City  and  Country. 

COMPOSED 

By  Edward  Cocker, late  Pratflicioner  in 
the  Arts  6f  Writing,  Arithmetick,  and  En- 
graving. Being  that  fo  long  fince  promifed 
to  the  World. 

PERUSED  and  PUBLISHED 

By  John  Hatekjns,  Writing-Mafter  near  St. 

' George's  Church  in  Southwark, , by  the  Au- 
thor's correct  Copy,  and  commended  to  the 
World  by  many  eminent  Mathematicians 
and  Writing-Maftersin  and  near  London. 


This  Imprcftfaiis  correct  id  and  amended t with  many 
Additions  throts^lxnst  the  whole. 

Licenfed,  Sept . 3. 1677.  Roger  L'EJhange. 

LONDON , 

Printed  by  R.  Holt,  for  T.  Pa  [finger, 
and  fold  by  John  Back, , at  the  black  Boy 
A on  Lond on-Bndge,  1 6 8 8 » 

Title  Page 


are 


Battledore,  "Lessons  in  Numbers” 


No.  1.  First  Picture  Alphabet. 

No.  4.  Lessons  in  One  Syllable. 

No.  2.  Second  Picture  Alphabet. 

No.  5.  Lessons  in  Numbers. 

No.  3.  Third  Picture  Alphabet. 

No.  6.  Words  in  Common  Use. 

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School-books 


141 


are  used  in  it,  instead  oi  arithmetic.  Many,  curious 
and  obsolete  rules  are  given,  among  them,  “ The 
Golden  Rule,”  “ Rule  ot  Falsehood,”  “ The  Re- 
deeming of  Pawnes  of  Geams,”  “The  Backer 
Rule  of  Thirds.”  Here  is  a simple  problem  under 
the  latter : — 

“I  did  lend  my  friend  3/4  of  a Porteguise  7 months 
upon  promise  that  he  should  do  as  much  for  me  again, 
and  when  I should  borrow  of  him,  he  could  lend  me  but 
5/12  of  a Porteguese,  now  I demand  how  long  time  I 
must  keep  his  money  in  just  Recompence  of  my  loan, 
accounting  13  months  in  the  year.” 

RJiyme  is  used  in  this  book,  in  dialogues  between 
the  master  and  scholar.  Copies  of  Cocker  s Arith- 
metick  are  said  to  be  very  rare  in  England,  but  I 
have  seen  several  in  America.  An  edition  was  pub- 
lished in  Philadelphia  in  1779.  The  frontispiece 
of  English  and  American  editions  shows  the  picture 
of  the  mathematician  surrounded  by  a wreath  of 
laurel  with  the  droll  apostrophe  : — 

“ Ingenious  Cocker  ! Now  to  Rest  thou  *rt  Gone 
Noe  Art  can  Show  thee  fully  but  thine  Own 
Thy  rare  Arithmetic k alone  can  show 
What  vast  Sums  of  Thanks  wee  for  Thy  Labour  owe.” 

“ Ingenious  Cocker,”  as  one  would  say  “ Most 
noble  Shakespeare  ! ” It  is  hard  indeed  to  idealize  or 
write  poetical  tributes  to  one  by  the  name  of  Cocker. 

It 


142  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

It  gives  us  a sense  of  pleasant  familiarity  with  any 
one  to  know  that  he  is  “well  acquaint”  with  one 
of  our  intimate  friends,  so  I feel  much  drawn  to 
ingenious  Cocker  by  knowing  that  he  was  well 
known  of  Sam  Pepys.  He  was  a writing  master, 
and  did  some  mighty  fine  engraving  for  Pepys,  who 
calls  him  ingenuous,  not  ingenious.  It  is  rather  a 
facer  to  learn  from  the  notes  in  the  Diary  that 
Cocker  had  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  his  Arith- 
metic, which  was  a forgery  by  John  Hawkins. 

The  age  that  would  rhyme  a grammar  would 
rhyme  an  arithmetic,  and  Record’s  example  was 
followed  and  enlarged  upon.  Thomas  Hylles 
published  one  in  1620,  The  Arte  of  Vulgar  Arith- 
miteke , written  in  dialogue,  with  the  rules  and 
theorems  in  verse.  This  is  an  example  of  his 
poesy : — 

“The  Partition  of  a Shilling  into  his  Aliquot  Partes. 

“A  farthing  first  finds  forty-eight 
A Halfpeny  hopes  for  twendefoure 
Three  farthings  seeks  out  16  streight 
A peny  puls  a dozen  lower 
Dicke  dandiprat  drewe  8 out  deade 
Twopence  took  6 and  went  his  way 
Tom  trip  a goe  with  4 is  fled 
But  Goodman  grote  on  3 doth  stay 
A testerne  only  2 doth  take 
Moe  parts  a Shilling  cannot  make.’* 


In 


Noah  Webster's  “American  Selection’ 


School-books 


1 4 3 


In  1633  Nicholas  Hunt  added  to  his  rules  and 
tables  an  “ Arithmetike-Rithmeticall  or  the  Hand- 
maid’s Song  of  Numbers,”  which  rhymes  are  simply 
unspeakable.  These  attempts  did  not  end  with  the 
seventeenth  century.  In  1801  Richard  Vyse  had 
a Tutor  s Guide  with  problems  in  rhyme. 

“ When  first  the  Marriage  Knot  was  tied 
Between  my  Wife  and  Me 
My  age  did  hers  as  far  exceed 

As  three  times  three  does  three. 

But  when  Ten  years  and  half  ten  Years 
We  man  and  wife  had  been 
Her  age  came  up  as  near  to  mine 
As  eight  is  to  sixteen. 

Now  tell  me  I pray 

What  were  our  Ages  on  our  Wedding  Day?” 

The  earliest  date  of  the  old  rhyme,  — 

“ Thirtie  daies  hath  September,  Aprill,  June  and  November, 
Februarie  eight  and  twenue  alone,  all  the  rest  thirtie  and  one.” 

is  given  by  Halliwell  as  1633.  I have  found  it  in 
an  old  arithmetic  printed  in  London  in  1596.  The 
lines  beginning  “ Multiplication  is  vexation,”  are  not 
an  outburst  of  modern  students.  They  are  found 
in  a manuscript  dated  1570  circa. 

“Multiplication  is  mie  vexation 
And  Division  quite  as  bad. 

The  Golden  rule  is  mie  stumbling  stule. 

And  Practice  makes  me  mad.” 


After 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


144 

After  the  Revolution,  in  new  and  zealous  Ameri- 
canism, text-books  by  American  authors  outsold 
English  books.  The  blue-backed  spelling  book  of 
Noah  Webster  drove  Perry  and  Dilworth  from  the 
field.  Bingham  and  Webster  took  advantage  of 
the  need  of  suitable  school-books  and  divided  the 
field  between  them.  Webster’s  Spelling  Book  out- 
stripped Bingham’s  Child's  Companion , but  Bing- 
ham’s Readers,  such  as  The  American  Preceptor  and 
The  Columbian  Orator  held  their  ground  against 
Webster’s.  Not  one  of  Bingham’s  books  proved 
a failure.  The  Columbian  Orator  contained  seven 
extracts  from  speeches  of  Pitt  in  opposition  to 
the  measures  of  George  III.,  it  had  speeches  by 
Fox  and  Sheridan,  part  of  the  address  of  Presi- 
dent Carnot  at  the  establishment  of  the  French  Re- 
public, and  the  famous  speech  of  Colonel  Barre 
on  the  Stamp  Act. 

Nicholas  Pike  of  Newburyport,  Massachusetts, 
wrote  an  arithmetic  that  routed  the  English  books 
of  Cocker  and  Hodder.  It  was  studied  by  many 
persons  now  living.  It  had  three  hundred  and 
sixty-three  barren  rules,  and  not  a single  explana- 
tion of  one  of  them.  Many  of  them  would  now 
be  wholly  unintelligible  to  scholars,  though  no  more 
antiquated  than  are  the  methods  ; for  instance,  this 
rule  in  Tare  and  Trett:  — 


“ Deduct 


...  T H £ 

//■■cue'/;,'  9, yu/ 


ys 

< t.  f Y 


LITTLE  READER’S 

ASSISTANT: 


CONTAINING 


I.  A number  of  Sto- 
ries, moftly  taken  from 
the  hiftory  of  America, 
and  adorned  with  Cuts. 

II.  Rudiments  of  En- 
gliih  Grammar. 

HI.  A Federal  Cate- 
being  a fhort  and 
eaf'y  explanation  pf ' the 


Conftitution  of  the  Unit- 
ed States. 

IV.  General  princi- 
ples of  Government  and 
Commerce. 

V,  The  Farmer's  Cat- 

cchizui.  containing  plain 
t ules  of  bufbandry. . . 


All  adapted  to  the  capacities  of  children . 


THE  SECOND  E’Oi  YFo  jr  . 


Bt  NOAH  WEBSTER,  Juk. 
Attorney  at  Lata. 

HARTFORD / 

• Pro  nteb  BY  ELIS  H A E A3COCK. 
M,DCCSXCI.' 

f Ruhlijhed  according  to  Act  of  Conyrfs.j 


“ The  Little  Reader’s  Assistant,”  by  Noah  Webster 


School-books 


H5 


“Deduct  the  Tare  and  Trett.  Divide  the  Suttle  by 
amount  given;  the  Quotient  will  be  the  Cloff  which 
subtract  from  the  Suttle  the  Remainder  will  be  the 
Neat.” 

The  tables  of  measures  were  longer  than  ours 
to-day  ; in  measuring  liquids  were  used  the  terms 
anchors,  tuns,  butts,  tierces,  kilderkins,  firkins,  pun- 
cheons, etc.  In  dry  measure  were  pottles,  strikes, 
cooms,  quarters,  weys,  lasts.  Examples  in  currency 
were  in  pounds,  shillings,  and  pence;  and  doubtless 
helped  to  retain  the  use  ot  these  terms  in  daily  trade 
long  after  dollars  had  been  coined  in  America.  This 
labored  book,  aided  by  the  flattering  testimonials 
of  Governor  Bowdoin,  of  the  Presidents  of  Har- 
vard, Yale,  and  Dartmouth  Colleges,  and  of  that 
idolized  American,  George  Washington,  gained  wide 
acceptance. 

I have  examined  with  care  a Wingate  s Arith- 
metic printed  in  1620,  which  was  used  for  over  a 
century  in  the  Winslow  family  in  Massachusetts. 
“ Pythagoras  his  Table,’'  is,  of  course,  our  multipli- 
cation table.  Then  comes,  the  “ Rule  of  Three,” 
the  “double  Golden  Rule,”  the  “Rule  of  Fellow- 
ship,” the  “ Rule  of  False,”  etc.,  etc.,  ending  with 
“ Pastimes,  a collection  of  pleasant  and  polite  Ques- 
tions to  exercise  all  the  parts  of  Vulgar  Arithme- 
tick.”  Here  is  one  : — 


L 


“ This 


146 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


“This  Problem  is  usually  propounded  in  this  manner, 
viz.  fifteen  Christians  and  fifteen  Turks  being  at  Sea  in  one 
and  the  same  Ship  in  a terrible  Storm,  & the  Pilot  declaring 
a necessity  of  casting  the  one  half  of  those  Persons  into  the 
Sea,  that  the  rest  might  be  saved  ; they  all  agreed  that  the 
persons  to  be  cast  away  should  be  set  out  by  lot  after  this 
manner,  viz.  the  thirty  persons  should  be  placed  in  a round 
form  like  a Ring , and  then  beginning  to  count  at  one  of  the 
Passengers,  and  proceeding  circularly,  every  ninth  person 
should  be  cast  into  the  Sea,  until  of  the  thirty  persons  there 
remained  only  fifteen.  T he  question  is,  how  those  thirty 
persons  ought  to  be  placed,  that  the  lot  might  infallibly  fall 
upon  the  fifteen  Turks  & not  upon  any  of  the  fifteen  Chris- 
tians ? For  the  more  easie  remembering  of  the  rule  to 
resolve  this  question  shall  presuppose  the  five  vowels,  a,  e, 
i,  o,  u,  to  signifie  five  numbers  to  wit,  (a)  one,  (e)  two,  (i) 
three,  (o)  four,  and  (u)  five ; then  will  the  rule  it  self  be 
briefly  comprehended  in  these  two  following  verses:  — 

From  numbers,  aid  and  art 

Never  will  fame  depart. 

In  which  verses  you  are  principally  to  observe  the  vowels, 
with  their  correspondent  numbers  before  assigned,  and  then 
beginning  with  the  Christians  the  vowel  0 (in  from ) signifieth 
that  four  Christians  are  to  be  placed  together;  next  unto 
them,  the  vowel  u (in  num)  signifieth  that  five  Turks  are  to 
be  placed.  In  like  manners  (in  hers)  denoteth  2 Christians , 
a (in  aid ) l Turk , i (in  aid ) 3 Christians , a (in  and ) I Turk , 
a (in  art)  1 Christian , e (in  ne)  2 Turks , e (in  ver)  2 Chris- 
tians, 


School-books 


H7 

tians,  i (in  will)  3 Turks , a (in  fame ) I Christian , e (in  fame} 
2 Turks , f5  (in  de)  2 Christians , a (in  part)  I Turk. 

“ The  invention  of  the  said  Rule  and  such  like,  de- 
pendeth  upon  the  subsequent  demonstration,  viz.  if  the 
number  of  persons  be  thirty,  let  thirty  figures  or  cyphers  be 
placed  circularly  or  else  in  a right  line  as  you  see  : — 

000000000000000.” 

I trust  the  little  Winslows  and  their  neighbors 
understood  this  sum,  and  its  explanation,  and  that 
the  Christians  were  all  saved,  and  the  Turks  were 
all  drowned. 

Geography  was  an  accomplishment  rather  than 
a necessary  study,  and  was  spoken  ol  as  a diver- 
sion for  a winter’s  evening.  Many  objections  were 
made  that  it  took  the  scholar’s  attention  away  from 
“cyphering.”  It  was  not  taught  in  the  elementary 
schools  till  this  century.  Morse  s Geography  was 
not  written  till  after  the  Revolution.  It  had  a 
mean  little  map  of  the  United  States,  only  a few 
inches  square.  On  it  all  the  land  west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi River  was  called  Louisiana,  and  nearly  all 
north  of  the  Ohio  River,  the  Northwestern  Terri- 
tory. Small  as  the  book  was,  and  meagre  as  was 
its  information,  many  of  its  pages  were  devoted  to 
short,  stilted  dialogues  between  a teacher  and  pupil, 
in  which  the  scholar  was  made  to  say  such  priggish 
sentences  : — 


“I 


148 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

“ I am  very  thankful,  sir,  for  your  entertaining  instruc- 
tion, and  I shall  never  forget  what  you  have  been  telling  me. 

“ I long,  sir,  for  to-morrow  to  come  that  I may  hear  more 
of  your  information. 

“ I am  truly  delighted,  sir,  with  the  account  you  have 
given  me  of  my  country.  I wish,  sir,  it  may  be  agreeable 
to  you  to  give  me  a more  particular  description  of  the 
United  States. 

“ I hope,  sir,  I have  a due  sense  of  your  goodness  to  me. 
I have,  sir,  very  cheerfully,  and  I trust  very  profitably, 
attended  your  instructions.” 

A rather  amusing  Geographical  Catechism  was 
published  in  1796,  by  Rev.  Henry  Pattillo,  a Pres- 
byterian minister  of  North  Carolina,  for  the  use 
of  the  university  students.  It  is  properly  and 
Presbyterianly  religious.  It  gives  this  explanation 
of  comets  : — 

“Their  uses  are  mere  conjecture.  Some  judge  them 
the  seats  of  punishment  where  sinners  suffer  the  extremes 
of  heat  and  cold.  Mr.  Whiston  says  a comet  approaching 
the  sun  brushed  the  earth  with  its  tail  and  caused  the 
deluge,  and  that  another  will  cause  the  conflagration.” 

Let  us  not  be  too  eager  to  jeer  at  these  ancient 
school-books.  Pope  wrote  nearly  two  centuries  ago  : 

“Still  is  to-morrow  wiser  than  to-day 

We  think  our  fathers  fools  so  wise  we  grow. 

Our  wiser  sons  no  doubt  will  think  us  so.” 

Perhaps 


School-books 


149 


Perhaps  the  series  of  text-books  which  have 
chased  each  other  in  and  out  of  our  nineteenth- 
century  public  schools  under  the  successive  boards 
of  commissioners  and  school  committees  who  have 
also  flashed  briefly  on  our  educational  hori- 
zon, may  cut  no  better  figure  two  cen- 
turies hence  than  do  those  of 
Lilly  and  Pike  and 
Cocker. 


CHAPTER  VII 


PENMANSHIP  AND  LETTERS 


Ink  alwais  good  store  on  right  hand  to  stand 
Brown  paper  for  great  haste  or  else  box  of  sand. 

Dip  pen  and  shake  pen  and  touch  pen  for  haire 
IV ax,  quills  and  penknife  see  alwais  ye  beare. 

— A New  Book  of  Hands,  ibyo  circa. 

IN  glancing  over  old  school  contracts  it  will  be 
noted  that  in  a majority  of  cases  the  teacher  is 
specified  as  a writing-master;  without  doubt 
the  chief  requisite  of  a satisfactory  teacher  in  colo- 
nial days  was  that  he  should  be  a good  teacher  of 
penmanship. 

We  have  seen  in  our  own  day  distinct  changes  in 
the  handwriting  of  an  entire  generation  ; the  colo- 
nists whose  lives  ended  with  the  seventeenth  century 
had  a characteristic  handwriting  which  retained  cer- 
tain elements  of  old  English,  even  of  mediaeval 
script.  It  was  a handsome  and  dignified  chirography 
and  an  impressive  one,  and  was  usually  easy  to  read. 
The  writing  of  the  first  Pilgrim  and  Puritan  fathers 
was  not  over-good.  Governor  John  Winthrop’s 

150 


was 


Penmanship  and  Letters 


J51 

was  not  much  better  than  Horace  Greeley’s.  Brad- 
ford’s we  are  familiar  with  through  the  beautiful  fac- 
similes of  his  Relation. 

The  first  half  of  the  succeeding  century  did  not 
send  forth  such  good  writers;  nor  did  it  send  forth 
writers  so  universally  ; the  proportion  of  signatures 
to  public  documents  by  cross  instead  of  writing  in- 
creased. Our  grandparents  and  great-grandparents 
all  wrote  well.  In  hundreds  of  century-old  letters 
which  I have  examined  an  ill-written  letter  is  an 
exception.  Children  at  the  close  of  the  eight- 
eenth century  wrote  beautifully  rounded,  clear,  and 
uniform  hands,  if  we  can  judge  from  their  copy- 
books. Little  Anna  Green  Winslow,  writing  in 
1771,  showed  page  after  page  in  a hand  far  better 
than  that  of  most  girls  of  her  age  to-day. 

Claude  Blanchard  was  commissary  of  supplies  for 
the  French  army  which  landed  in  Newport  in  1780. 
He  visited  the  Newport  school  and  gave  this  tribute 
to  the  scholars  : — 

“I  saw  the  writing  of  these  children,  it  appeared  to 
me  to  be  handsome ; among  others  that  of  a young  girl 
nine  or  ten  years  old,  very  pretty  and  very  modest,  and 
such  as  I would  like  my  own  daughter  to  be  when  she  is 
so  old  ; she  was  called  Abigail  Earle,  as  I perceived  upon 
her  copy-book,  on  which  her  name  was  written.  I wrote 
it  myself,  adding  to  it  ‘ very  pretty.’  ” 


An 


152  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

An  “ exhibition  piece  ” is  here  given  of  the  pen- 
manship of  Anne  Reynolds,  a little  girl  of  Norwich, 
Connecticut,  who  died  shortly  after  this  “ piece  ” was 
written. 

Writing-masters  were  universally  honored  in 
every  community.  A part  of  the  funeral  notice  of 
one  in  Boston,  who  died  in  1769,  reads  thus:  — 

“Last  Friday  morning  died  Mr.  Abiah  Holbrook  in 
this  town.  He  was  looked  upon  by  the  best  Judges  as  the 
Greatest  Master  of  the  pen  we  ever  had  among  us,  of 
which  he  has  left  a beautiful  Demonstration.” 

This  “beautiful  demonstration”  of  his  penman- 
ship was  a most  intricate  piece  of  what  was  known 
as  fine  knotting,  or  knotwork.  It  was  said  to  be 
“ written  in  all  the  known  hands  of  Great  Britain,” 
and  was  valued  at  ^100.  It  was  bequeathed  to 
Harvard  College  unless  it  was  bought  by  the  Revo- 
lutionary patriot,  John  Hancock,  who  had  been  one 
of  Master  Holbrook’s  pupils  and,  as  we  know  from 
the  fine  bold  signature  of  his  own  name  to  the 
Declaration  of  Independence,  was  a very  creditable 
scholar. 

This  work  had  occupied  every  moment  of  what 
Abiah  Holbrook  called  his  “spare  time”  for  seven 
years.  As  he  had,  in  the  year  1745,  two  hundred 
and  twenty  scholars  at  one  time  in  one  school,  his 

spare 


ygPil: 


VI  K Til  £ 


• At'ttfaet//  p **, 

///  aiturtf-/t'na/lHt's,  tify.-z  \ 
<*'Y  *><!•"/& /I*  ■ ■///•,{/<?/-  /;///, rU 
/uy‘/vu,"c  y/zA 

j.  «>/// Z/zzw  !■//•/•  js/rrf  < r,r /■f/.y/s'/,  \ 

fW  fr 

femt.-r/rvss’tr/w  'f/Mnn.,* , 


///// 

//-  ,rz>// /&/  v*,,v/  Sffr //I  A'g/Vjjf 
/ 1 v'j  - /'  .v.  /,. /./  /r-t  a-r  /////?<?/•&. 

i)H3 

'■>  '/ /'/////■  Y//Y,  v/y't ////V 

y///y/' Y/r////YZZZ/y  Yf/v  Yz/'/zZ/z/irz//  ZyY,  I '/  / 
''//  ////  ,-  '/  // /v  / /t/z/ryz////  /,  ■ z///  //</* 
///■>/ s/sf/s  ' ,r//s/  /*•///,<  /Art  //YYZ/ /*■:■■  4 
Yi'//  ,///-  y/f /,-!>/ /tfr/r/rr  ,’>//  /%*'  rZ>////‘  i 

/////  ss/v/z'  sr/ ///  s>j-/  fJi  £?/// \ ■ *"  * 

///A’f'jz  ///S  ///!vr/v4 


w / /'///,  //////  f/ 


11  c y R c*  v 11  o J ci  fi  Pie  c e 


Exhibition  “ Piece”  of  Anne  Reynolds 


Penmanship  and  Letters 


153 


spare  time  must  have  been  very  short.  He  and 
other  writing-masters  of  the  Holbrook  family  left 
behind  a still  nobler  demonstration  than  this  knot- 
work  in  the  handwriting  of  their  scholars  — Boston 
ministers,  merchants,  statesmen,  and  patriots  — 
whose  elegant  penmanship  really  formed  a distinct 
style,  and  was  known  as  “ Boston  Style  of  Writing.” 

The  “ hands  of  Great  Britain  ” were  many  in 
number;  among  them  Saxon,  Old  Mss.,  Chancery, 
Gothic,  Running  Court,  Exchequer,  Pipe  Office, 
Engrossing,  Running  Secretary,  Round  Text,  and 
the  “ Lettre  Frisee,”  which  was  minutely  and  regu- 
larly zigzagged. 

A well-known  Boston  writing-master  was  famil- 
iarly known  as  Johnny  Tileston.  He  was  born  in 
1738  and  taught  till  1823,  when  he  was  pensioned 
off'.  He  was  a rough-mannered  old  fellow;  his 
chief  address  to  the  scholars  being  the  term,  “You 
gnurly  wretch.”  His  ideal  was  his  own  teacher, 
Master  Proctor,  and  when  late  in  life  he  saw  a 
scholar  wipe  his  pen  on  a bit  of  cloth,  he  approached 
the  desk,  lifted  the  rag  and  said,  “ What’s  this  ? 
Master  Proctor  had  no  such  thing.”  Tileston  him- 
self always  wiped  his  pens  with  his  little  finger  and 
in  turn  dried  his  finger  on  his  own  white  hairs  under 
his  wig.  An  old  spelling-book  has  these  lines  for  a 
“ writing-copy  ” : — 


X 


*54 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


“ X things  a penman  should  have  near  at  hand  — 

Paper,  pomice,  pen,  ink,  knife,  horn,  rule,  plummet,  wax, 
sand.” 

It  will  be  noted  that  a penwiper  is  not  upon  the  list. 

In  olden  times  but  one  kind  of  a pen  was  used, 
one  cut  from  a goose-quill  with  the  feathers,  left 
on  the  handle.  The  selection 
and  manufacture  of  these  goose- 
quill  pens  was  a matter  of  con- 
siderable care  in  the  beginning, 
and  of  constant  watchfulness 
and  “mending”  till  the  pen 
was  worn  out.  One  of  the 
indispensable  qualities  ot  a co- 
lonial schoolmaster  was  that  he 
was  a good  pen  maker  and  pen 
mender.  It  often  took  the 
master  and  usher  two  hours  to  make  the  pens  for 
the  school.  Boys  studied  arithmetic  at  eleven  years 
of  age,  but  were  not  allowed  to  make  pens  in  school 
till  they  were  twelve  years  old. 

Ink  was  not  bought  in  convenient  liquid  form  as 
at  present ; each  family,  each  person  had  to  be  an 
ink  manufacturer.  The  favorite  method  of  ink- 
making was  through  the  dissolving  of  ink-powder. 
Liquid  ink  was  but  seldom  seen  for  sale.  In 
remote  districts  of  Vermont,  Maine,  and  Massachu- 
setts, 


Writing-master’s  Initial 


Penmanship  and  Letters 


*55 


setts,  home-made  ink,  feeble  and  pale,  was  made  by 
steeping  the  bark  of  swamp-maple  in  water,  boiling 
the  decoction  till  thick,  and  diluting  it  with  copperas. 
Each  child  brought  to  school  an  ink-bottle  or  ink- 
horn  filled  with  the  varying  fluid  of  domestic  manu- 
facture. 

A book  called  The  District  School,  written  as  late 
as  1834,  shows  the  indifferent  quality  of  the  ink 
used.  The  writer  complains  that  the  parents  made 
a poor  ink  of  vinegar,  water,  and  ink-powder,  which 
the  child  could  not  use,  and  permitted  to  dry  up 
while  he  borrowed  of  the  teacher.  The  inkstand  is 
then  “ used  at  the  evening  meetings  as  a candle- 
stick.” Other  inkstands  with  good  ink  are  seized 
and  used  for  the  same  purpose  and  the  ink  ruined 
with  grease  and  nothing  left  to  write  with  when  the 
teacher  sets  his  scholars  to  work. 

There  are  no  remains  of  olden  times  that  put  us 
more  closely  in  touch  with  the  men,  women,  and 
children  who  moved  and  lived  in  these  shadowy 
days  than  do  the  letters  they  wrote.  Old  James 
Howell  said  over  two  centuries  ago  : “ Letters  are 
the  Idea  and  the  truest  Miror  of  the  Mind;  they 
shew  the  Inside  of  a Man.”  Certainly  the  most 
imaginative  mind  must  be  touched  with  a sense  ot 
nearness  to  the  heart  of  the  writer  whose  yellowed 
pages  he  unfolds  and  whose  fading  words  he  de- 
ciphers. 


i56 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


ciphers.  The  roll  of  centuries  cannot  dim  the 
power  of  written  words. 

In  the  Prince  Library,  in  Boston,  are  the  manu- 
scripts known  under  the  various  titles  of  the 
Mather  Papers , the  Cotton  Papers , the  Torrey  Papers , 
etc.  They  are  delightful  to  see  and  to  read,  for  the 
ink  is  still  clear  and  black,  the  paper  firm  and  good, 
the  letters  well-formed,  and  the  text  breathes  a spirit 
of  kindness,  affection,  and  loving  thoughtfulness 
that  speaks  of  the  beauty  of  Puritan  home  life. 
Some  of  the  letters  are  written  by  Puritan  women  ; 
and  these  letters  are  uniformly  well  spelt,  well  writ- 
ten, and  intelligent.  Perhaps  only  intelligent  women 
were  taught  to  write.  These  letters  are  on  fine 
Dutch  paper ; there  was  no  English  writing-paper 
till  the  time  of  William  and  Mary.  They  are 
carefully  folded  with  due  regard  to  the  etiquette  of 
letter-folding,  and  plainly  and  neatly  addressed. 

The  letters  are  very  tender  and  gentle ; some- 
times they  are  written  to  children  ; they  begin, 
“ My  deare  Child  ” ; “ My  Indear’d  Sonn  ” ; “ To 
my  dearly  loved  Friend  and  Child.”  One  ends, 
“ With  my  Indeared  Love,  committing  thyself  and 
thy  duty  and  service  to  all  our  friends,  and  to 
the  protection  of  the  Almighty,  I am  thine.”  A 
mother  addresses  on  the  outside  her  letter  to  her 
son  in  these  words,  “To  my  very  good  friend, 

These 


Penmanship  and  Letters 


lS7 


These  Present,”  etc.  John  Cotton  addresses  a 
letter  externally  thus:  “These,  For  the  Reverend, 
his  very  deare  Brother,  Mr.  Increase  Mather, 
Teacher  of  a Church  at  Boston,  Present.”  Some- 
times the  address  ran,  “ Messenger  present  these  to, 
etc.”  H ence  it  may  be  seen  that  the  word  “ Present  ” 
sometimes  seen  on  modern  letters  properly  is  the 
imperative  verb  Present.  Occasionally  the  words 
“Haste!  post  haste!”  were  seen,  as  on  English 
letters,  but  I have  never  seen  the  old  postal  inscrip- 
tion, “ Haste  ! post,  haste  ! on  your  Lite  ! on  your 
Life  ! ” 

A very  genuine  and  pleasing  letter  was  written  by 
John  Quincy  Adams  when  he  was  nine  years  old 
to  his  father,  President  John  Adams  : — 

“Braintree,  June  the  2nd,  1777. 

“ Dear  Sir  : I love  to  receive  letters  very  well,  much 

better  than  I love  to  write  them.  I make  but  a poor  figure 
at  composition,  my  head  is  much  too  fickle,  my  thoughts 
are  running  after  bird’s  eggs,  play,  and  trifles  till  I get 
vexed  with  myself.  I have  but  just  entered  the  3rd  vol 
of  Smollett  tho’  I had  design’d  to  have  got  it  half  through 
by  this  time.  I have  determined  this  week  to  be  more 
diligent,  as  Mr.  Thaxter  will  be  absent  at  Court,  & I can- 
not persue  my  other  studies.  I have  set  myself  a Stent  & 
determine  to  read  the  3rd  Volume  Half  out.  If  I can  but 
keep  my  resolution,  I will  write  again  at  the  end  of  the 

week 


i58 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


week  and  give  a better  account  of  myself.  I wish,  Sir, 
you  would  give  me  some  instructions  with  regard  to  my 
time  & advise  me  how  to  proportion  my  Studies  & my 
Play,  in  writing  I will  keep  them  by  me  & endeavour  to 
follow  them.  I am,  dear  Sir,  with  a present  determination 
of  growing  better  yours.  P.  S.  Sir,  if  you  will  be  so  good 
as  to  favour  me  with  a Blank  Book,  I will  transcribe  the 
most  remarkable  occurrences  I meet  with  in  my  reading 
which  will  serve  to  fix  them  upon  my  mind.” 

We  cannot  wonder  at  the  precision  and  elegance 
of  the  letter-writing  of  our  forbears,  when  we  know 
the  “ painful  ” precepts  of  parents  in  regard  to  their 
children’s  penmanship  and  composition.  In  the 
letters  written  by  Ephraim  Williams,  a plain  New 
England  farmer,  from  his  home  in  Stockbridge  in 
the  years  1749  et  seq.  to  his  son  Elijah,  while  the 
latter  was  in  Princeton  College,  is  shown  the  respect 
felt  for  a good  handwriting.  Nearly  every  letter 
had  some  such  sentences  as  these  : — 

“I  would  intreet  you  to  endeavour  daily  to  Improve 
yourself  in  writting  and  spelling  ; they  are  very  ornimentall 
to  a scholar  and  the  want  of  them  is  an  exceeding  great 
Blemish.” 

“I  desire  you  would  observe  in  your  Wrighting  to  make 
proper  Distances  between  words ; don’t  blend  your  words 
together  use  your  utmost  endeavours  to  spell  well;  con- 
sult all  Rules  likely  to  help  you;  Such  words  as  require 

it 


David  Waite,  Seven  Years  Old 


Penmanship  and  Letters 


*59 


it  allways  begin  with  a capitoll  Letter,  it  will  much  Grace 
your  wrighting.  Try  to  mend  your  hand  in  wrighting 
every  day  all  Opportunities  you  can  possibly  get.  Observe 
strictly  Gentlemen’s  meathod  of  wrighting  and  superscrib- 
ing, it  may  be  of  service  to  you  : you  can  scarce  conceive 
what  a vast  disadvantage  it  will  be  to  leave  the  Colledg  and 
not  be  able  to  write  and  spell  well.  Learn  to  write  a pretty 
fine  Hand  as  you  may  have  Ocation.” 

He  urges  him  to  study  the  spelling  rules  laid 
down  in  the  Youth' s Instructor  in  the  English  'lounge , 
and  tells  him  not  to  follow  his  (the  father’s)  writing 
for  an  example  as  he  has  “but  common  English 
learning.”  He  reproves,  admonishes,  and  finally 
says  Elijah’s  sisters  will  prove  better  scholars  than 
he  is  if  he  does  not  have  a care,  which  was  a bitter 
taunt. 

Major  Dulany  of  Maryland  wrote  to  his  little 
daughter  some  very  intelligent  advice,  of  which  these 
lines  are  a portion  : — 

uIn  letter  writing  as  in  conversation  it  will  be  found  that 
those  who  substitute  the  design  of  distinguishing  themselves 
for  that  of  giving  pleasure  to  those  whom  they  address  must 
ever  fail.  Having  decided  upon  what  is  proper  to  be  said 
accustom  yourself  to  express  it  in  the  best  possible  manner. 
Always  use  the  words  that  most  exactly  correspond  with 
the  ideas  you  mean  to  express.  There  are  fewer  synony- 
mous words  in  our  language  than  is  generally  supposed,  as 


you 


160  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

you  will  find  in  looking  over  your  Dictionary.  It  has  been 
remembered  upon  as  a great  excellence  of  Gen’l  Washing- 
ton’s writings  that  no  one  could  substitute  a single  word 
which  could  so  well  express  his  meaning.  I have  heard 
(whether  it  be  true  or  not  I cannot  say)  that  for  seven 
years  of  his  life  he  never  wrote  without  having  his  Dic- 
tionary before  him.” 

The  letters  of  Aaron  Burr,  written  at  a little  later 
period  to  his  beloved  daughter  Theodosia,  show  as 
unvarying  and  incessant  pains  to  form  perfection  in 
letter-writing,  as  was  displayed  by  Lord  Chesterfield 
in  his  letters  to  his  son.  When  she  was  but  ten  or 
twelve  we  find  Burr  giving  her  minute  instruction 
as  to  her  penmanship ; its  size,  shape,  the  forma- 
tion of  sentences,  the  spelling,  the  exact  use  of  syno- 
nyms. He  sends  her  sentences  bidding  her  return 
them  in  a more  elegant  form,  to  translate  them  into 
Latin.  He  exhorts  her  to  study  the  meaning,  use, 
and  etymology  of  every  word  in  his  letter.  He  has 
her  keep  for  him  a daily  journal  written  in  a narra- 
tive style.  Even  when  on  trial  for  treason  in  1808 
he  still  instructed  her,  reproving  her  for  her  negli- 
gent failure  to  acknowledge  letters  received.  He 
commended  her  style,  saying  she  had  energy  and 
aptitude  of  expression  ; altogether  I can  fancy  no 
rule  of  correct  epistolary  conduct  left  unsaid  by  Burr 
to  his  daughter.  That  he  had  a high  opinion  of  her 

powers 


Penmanship  and  Letters 


1 6 1 


powers  we  cannot  doubt;  but  the  specimens  of  her 
composition  that  exist  show  no  great  brilliancy  or 
originality. 

As  books  multiplied  after  the  Revolution,  many 
letters  were  modelled  on  effusions  that  had  been 
seen  and  admired  in  print : this  at  a loss  of  much 
naturalness  and  quaintness  of  expression.  Letter- 
writing guides  formed  the  most  pernicious  influence. 
Miss  Stoughton  of  East  Windsor  inviting  sprightly 
Nancy  Williams  of  East  Elartford  to  a gay  party 
began  her  note  in  this  surprising  way:  “Worthy 
Lady.” 

Children  (and  grown  people  too)  had  a very  rep- 
rehensible habit  of  scribbling  in  their  books.  Of 
course  each  owner  wrote  his  name,  with  more  or  less 
elegance  and  accompanying  flourishes,  according  to 
his  capacity.  Some  very  valuable  autographs  have 
by  this  means  been  preserved.  A single  title-page 
will  often  bear  the  names  of  several  owners.  They 
also  wrote  various  rhymes  and  sentiments,  which 
might  be  gathered  under  the  head  of  title-page  lore. 

The  most  ancient  rhyme  I have  seen  is  dated 
1635  and  is  in  an  ancient  Cocker  s Arithmetic : — 

“John  Greene  (or  Graves),  his  book 
God  give  Him  Grace  theirein  to  look 
Not  oneley  to  look,  but  to  Understand 
That  Laming  is  better  than  House  or  Land.” 


M 


This 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


i 62 

This  rhyme  is  frequently  seen,  sometimes  with 
the  added  lines  : — 

“When  Land  is  Gone  and  Money  Spent 
Then  Laming  is  most  excellent. 

If  this  you  See 
Remember  Me.” 

Another  rhyme  is:  — 

“ Steal  not  this  Book  for  if  You  Do 
The  Devil  will  be  after  You.” 

Longer  and  more  formal  rhymes  are  found  in  the 
books  of  older  owners.  Occasionally  a child’s  book 
had  a valentine  sentiment,  or  a riddle,  or  a drawing 
of  hearts  and  darts;  crude  pictures  of  Indians  and 
horses  are  many.  I have  seldom  found  verses  from 
the  Bible  or  religious  sentiments  written  in  childish 
hands.  Whether  this  is  the  result  of  profound  re- 
spect or  of  indifference  I cannot  tell.  As  a special 
example  of  book  scribbling,  one  of  historical  inter- 
est is  given,  a page  of  the  famous  “White  Bible,” 
which  contains  the  entry,  much  disputed 
of  genealogical  and  historical  societies, 
that  John  Howland  married 
Governor  Carver’s 
“ grand-darter.” 


*5.  <£  JF-  K&c 

■‘Ufb'itf’  & 


Page  from  "White”  Bible 


CHAPTER  VIII 


DIARIES  AND  COMMONPLACE  BOOKS 

And  such  his  judgment,  so  exact  his  text 
As  what  was  best  in  bookes  as  what  bookes  best. 

That  had  he  join' d those  notes  his  labours  tooke 
From- each  most  praised  and  praise-deserving  booke, 

And  could  the  world  of  that  choise  treasure  boast 
It  need  not  care  though  all  the  rest  were  lost : 

And  such  his  wit,  he  writ  past  what  he  quotes 
And  his  productions  farre  exceed  his  notes. 

— Eglogue  on  the  Death  of  Ben  Jonson . 

Lucius  Cary , Lord  Falkland , l6jj. 


GROWN  folk  had  in  colonial  days  a habit 
of  keeping  diaries  and  making  notes  in 
interleaved  almanacs,  but  they  are  not  of 
great  value  to  the  historian  ; for  they  are  not  what 
Wordsworth  declared  such  compositions  should  be, 
namely,  “ abundant  in  observation  and  sparing  of 
reflection.”  They  are  instead  barren  of  accounts 
of  happenings,  and  descriptions  of  surroundings, 
and  are  chiefly  devoted  to  weather  reports  and 
moral  and  religious  reflections,  both  original  and  in 
the  form  of  sermon  and  lecture  notes.  The  note- 

163  taking 


164  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

taking  habit  of  Puritan  women  was  held  up  by  such 
detractors  as  Bishop  Earle  as  one  of  their  most 
contemptible  traits.  To-day  we  can  simply  deplore 
it  as  having  been  such  a vain  thing;  for  it  is  cer- 
tainly true,  no  matter  how  deeply  religious  in  feel- 
ing any  one  of  the  present  day  may  be,  that  to  the 
modern  mind  a long  course  of  the  pious  sentiments 
and  religious  aspirations  of  others  is  desperately  tire- 
some reading.  Such  records  were  not  tiresome, 
however,  to  those  of  Puritan  faith  ; there  were  but 
few  old-time  diaries  which  were  not  composed  on 
those  lines.  The  chief  exception  is  that  historical 
treasure-house,  Judge  Sewall’s  diary,  which  shows 
plainly,  also,  the  deep  religious  feeling  of  its  author. 
Another  of  more  restricted  interest,  but  of  value,  is 
that  of  Dr.  Parkman,  the  Westborough  minister. 
Governor  Winthrop’s  History  has  much  of  the  diary 
element  in  it.  Naturally,  the  diaries  of  children 
copied  in  quality  and  wording  those  of  their  elders. 
A unique  exception  in  these  youthful  records  is  the 
journal  of  a year  or  two  of  the  life  of  a Boston 
schoolgirl,  Anna  Green  Winslow.  Fortunately, 
little  Anna’s  desire  to  report  the  sermons  she  had 
heard  at  the  Old  South  Church,  and  to  moralize 
in  ambitious  theological  comments  thereon,  was 
checked  by  the  sensible  aunt  with  whom  she  lived, 
who  said,  “A  Miss  of  12  years  cant  possibly  do 

justice 


Anna  Green  Winslow 


Diaries  and  Commonplace  Books  165 

justice  to  nice  Subjects  in  Divinity,  and  therefore 
had  better  not  attempt  a repetition  of  particulars.” 
We,  therefore,  have  a story  of  her  life,  not  of  her 
thoughts  ; and  many  references  to  her  diary  appear 
in  this  volume. 

It  is  curious  and  interesting  to  note  how  Puritan 
traits  and  habits  lingered  in  generation  after  gener- 
ation, and  outlived  change  of  environment  and  mode 
of  living.  In  1630,  Rev.  John  White  of  Dorches- 
ter, England,  brought  out  a Puritan  colony  which 
settled  in  Massachusetts,  and  named  the  village  Dor- 
chester, after  their  English  home.  In  1695,  a group 
of  the  descendants  of  these  settlers  once  more  emi- 
grated to  “ Carolina.”  Tradition  asserts  that  they 
were  horrified  at  the  persecution  of  witches  in  Massa- 
chusetts. Upham  names  one  Daniel  Andrew  as  a 
man  who  protested  so  vigorously  against  the  prevail- 
ing folly  and  persecution,  that  he  was  compelled  to 
fly  to  South  Carolina.  Thomas  Staples  was  tearless 
enough  to  sue  and  obtain  judgment  against  the 
Deputy  Governor  for  saying  Goodwife  Staples  was 
a witch,  and  members  of  his  family  went  also  to 
South  Carolina. 

With  loyalty  to  their  two  Dorchester  homes,  a 
third  Dorchester,  in  South  Carolina,  was  named. 
They  built  a good  church  which  is  still  standing, 
though  the  village  has  entirely  disappeared,  and  the 

site 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


1 66 

site  is  overgrown  with  large  trees.  Indian  wars,  poor 
government,  church  oppression,  and  malaria  once 
more  drove  forth  these  undaunted  Puritans  to  found 
a fourth  Dorchester  in  Georgia.  In  1752,  they  left 
in  a body,  took  up  a grant  of  twenty-two  thousand 
acres  in  St.  John’s  Parish,  and  formed  the  Midway 
Church.  Their  meeting-house  was  headquarters  for 
the  Whigs  during  the  Revolution,  was  burned  by 
the  British,  rebuilt  in  1790,  and  is  still  standing. 
In  it  meetings  are  held  every  spring  by  hundreds 
of  the  descendants  of.  its  early  members,  though  it 
is  remote  from  railroads,  and  swamps  and  pine  bar- 
rens have  taken  the  place  of  smiling  rice  and  cotton 
fields. 

Stories  of  the  rigidity  of  church  government  of 
these  people  still  exist.  The  tradition  of  one  child 
who  smiled  in  Midway  Church  was  for  generations 
held  up  with  horror,  “ as  though  she  had  hoofs  and 
horns.”  There  attended  this  church  a descendant 
of  both  Andrew  and  Staples,  the  scoffers  at  witches, 
one  Mary  Osgood  Sumner.  She  had  a short  and 
sad  life.  Married  at  eighteen  she  was  a widow  at 
twenty,  and  with  her  sister,  Mrs.  Holmes  (an 
aunt  of  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes),  and  another 
sister,  Anne,  sailed  from  Newport  to  New  York, 
“ and  were  never  heard  of  more.” 

She  left  behind  her  sermon  notes  and  a “ Moni- 


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Pages  from  the  Diary  of  Mary  Osgood  Sumner 


Diaries  and  Commonplace  Books  167 


tor,”  or  diary,  which  had  what  she  called  a black 
list  of  her  childish  wrong-doings,  omissions  of  duty, 
etc.,  while  the  white  list  showed  the  duties  she  per- 
formed. Though  she  was  evidently  absolutely  con- 
scientious these  are  the  only  entries  on  the  “ Black 
Leaf”  : — 


“July  8. 

“ 9- 

“ 10. 

“ 12. 
“ 16. 

“ 1 7. 
“ 19. 

“ 22. 
“ 3°- 

Aug.  5. 


I left  my  staise  on  the  bed. 

Misplaced  Sister’s  sash. 

Spoke  in  haste  to  my  little  Sister,  spilt  the 
cream  on  the  floor  in  the  closet. 

I left  Sister  Cynthia’s  frock  on  the  bed. 

I left  the  brush  on  the  chair ; was  not  diligent 
in  learning  at  school. 

I left  my  fan  on  the  bed. 

I got  vexed  because  Sister  was  a-going  to  cut  my 
frock. 

Part  of  this  day  I did  not  improve  my  time  well. 

I was  careless  and  lost  my  needle. 

I spilt  some  coffee  on  the  table.” 


Not  a very  heinous  list. 

Here  are  entries  from  the  good  page  of  her  little 
“ Monitor  ” : — 


T 

“ July  8. 


White  Leaf. 

I went  and  said  my  Catechism  to-day.  Came 
home  and  wrote  down  the  questions  and 
answers,  then  dressed  and  went  to  the  dance, 
endeavoured  to  behave  myself  decent. 


1 6 8 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


“ ii. 


“ I 2. 


44 


*7- 


a 27. 

“ 28. 

“ 3°- 
Aug.  1. 


a 


4- 


I improved  my  time  before  breakfast;  after 
breakfast  made  some  biscuits  and  did  all  my 
work  before  the  sun  was  down. 

I went  to  meeting  and  paid  good  attention  to 
the  sermon,  came  home  and  wrote  down  as 
much  of  it  as  I could  remember. 

I did  everything  before  breakfast;  endeavored 
to  improve  in  school;  went  to  the  funeral  in 
the  afternoon,  attended  to  what  was  said, 
came  home  and  wrote  down  as  much  as  I 
could  remember. 

A part  of  this  day  I parsed  and  endeavored  to  do 
well  and  a part  of  it  I made  some  tarts  and 
did  some  work  and  wrote  a letter. 

I did  everything  this  morning  same  as  usual, 
went  to  school  and  endeavored  to  be  diligent ; 
came  home  and  washed  the  butter  and  assisted 
in  getting  coffee. 

I endeavored  to  be  diligent  to-day  in  my  learn- 
ing, went  from  school  to  sit  up  with  the  sick, 
nursed  her  as  well  as  I could. 

I was  pretty  diligent  at  my  work  to-day  and 
made  a pudding  for  dinner. 

I got  some  peaches  for  to  stew  after  I was  done 
washing  up  the  things  and  got  my  work  and 
was  midlin  Diligent. 

I did  everything  before  breakfast  and  after 
breakfast  got  some  peaches  for  Aunt  Mell 
and  then  got  my  work  and  stuck  pretty  close 


to 


D iaries  and  Commonplace  Books  169 

to  it  and  at  night  sat  up  with  Sister  and 
nursed  her  as  good  as  I could. 

8.  I stuck  pretty  close  to  my  work  to-day  and  did 
all  that  Sister  gave  me  and  after  I was  done 
I swept  out  the  house  and  put  the  things  to 
rights. 

9.  I endeavored  to  improve  my  time  to-day  in 
reading  and  attending  to  what  Brother  read 
and  most  of  the  evening  I was  singing.” 

I have  given  this  record  of  this  monotonous 
young  life  in  detail,  simply  to  prove  the  simplicity 
of  the  daily  round  ol  a child’s  life  at  that  time. 
The  pages  prove  with  equal  force  the  domination  of 
the  Puritan  temperament,  a nervous  desire  and  intent 
to  be  good,  and  industrious,  and  attentive,  and  help- 
ful. We  seldom  meet  that  temperament  in  chil- 
dren nowadays  ; and  when  we  do  it  is  sure  to  be, 
as  in  this  case,  a Puritan  inheritance. 

John  Ouincv  Adams,  when  eleven  years  old, 
determined  to  write  a Journal,  and  he  thus  lucidly 
and  sensibly  explains  his  intentions  to  his  mother  : — 

“ Honoured  Mamma  : My  Pappa  enjoins  it  upon  me 
to  keep  a journal,  or  diary  of  the  Events  that  happen  to 
me,  and  of  objects  I see,  and  of  Characters  that  I converse 
with  from  day  to  day  ; and  altho’  I am  convinced  of  the 
utility,  importance,  & necessity  of  this  Exercise,  yet  I have 
not  patience  & perseverance  enough  to  do  it  so  Constantly 


W 


as 


170  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

as  I ought.  My  Pappa,  who  takes  a great  deal  of  Pains  to  put 
me  in  the  right  way,  has  also  advised  me  to  Preserve  copies 
of  all  my  letters,  and  has  given  me  a Convenient  Blank 
Book  for  this  end  ; and  altho’  I shall  have  the  mortification 
a few  years  hence  to  read  a great  deal  of  my  Childish  non- 
sense, yet  I shall  have  the  Pleasure  and  advantage  of  Re- 
marking the  several  steps  by  which  I shall  have  advanced 
in  taste  judgment  and  knowledge.  A journal  Book  & a letter 
Book  of  a Lad  of  Eleven  years  old  can  not  be  expected  to 
contain  much  of  Science,  Litterature,  arts,  wisdom  or  wit, 
yet  it  may  serve  to  perpetuate  many  observations  that  I may 
make  & may  hereafter  help  me  to  recolect  both  Persons  & 
things  that  would  other  ways  escape  my  memory.  • • • My 
father  has  given  me  hopes  of  a Pencil  & Pencil  Book  in 
which  I can  make  notes  upon  the  spot  to  be  transferred 
afterwards  to  my  Diary,  and  my  letters,  this  will  give  me 
great  pleasure,  both  because  it  will  be  a sure  means  of  im- 
provement to  myself  & make  me  to  be  more  entertaining  to 
you. 

u I am  my  ever  honoured  and  revered  Mamma  your 
Dutiful  & Affectionate  Son. 

“John  Quincy  Adams.” 

I believe  this  diary,  so  carefully  decided  upon, 
does  not  now  exist.  The  Adams  family  preserved  a 
vast  number  of  family  papers,  but  this  was  not  among 
them.  1 am  sorry  ; for  I find  John  Quincy  Adams 
a very  pleasing  child.  When  he  was  about  seven 
years  old,  his  father  was  away  from  home  as  a dele- 
gate 


Joshua  Carter,  Four  Years  Old.  1765 


.&  SB,  ,1ft. 


Diaries  and  Commonplace  Books  17 1 

gate  to  a Congress  in  Philadelphia  which  sought  to 
secure  unity  ot  action  among  the  rebellious  colonies. 
His  patriotic  mother  taught  her  boy  in  their  retreat 
at  Braintree  to  repeat  daily  each  morning,  with 
the  Lord’s  Prayer,  Collins’  inspiring  ode  beginning, 
“ How  sleep  the  brave  who  sink  to  rest,”  etc.  Later 
in  life  Adams  wrote  to  a Quaker  friend  : — 

“ For  the  space  of  twelve  months  my  mother  with  her 
infant  children  dwelt,  liable  every  hour  of  the  day  and  of 
the  night  to  be  butchered  in  cold  blood,  or  taken  and  carried 
into  Boston  as  hostages.  My  mother  lived  in  unintermitted 
danger  of  being  consumed  with  them  all  in  a conflagration 
kindled  by  a torch  in  the  same  hands  which  on  the  seven- 
teenth of  June  (1775)  lighted  the  fires  of  Charlestown.  I 
saw  with  my  own  eyes  those  fires,  and  heard  Britannia’s 
thunders  in  the  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  and  witnessed  the 
tears  of  my  mother  and  mingled  them  with  my  own.” 

The  mother  took  her  boy  by  the  hand  and 
mounted  a height  near  their  home  and  showed  him 
the  distant  signs  of  battle.  Thus  she  fixed  an  im- 
pression of  a war  for  liberty  on  his  young  memory. 
Two  years  later,  to  relieve  her  anxious  and  tedious 
waiting  for  intelligence  from  her  husband,  the  boy 
became  “post  rider”  for  her  between  Braintree  and 
Boston,  which  towns  were  eleven  miles  apart — not 
a light  or  easy  task,  for  the  nine-year-old  boy  with 
the  unsettled  roads  and  unsettled  times.  The  spirit 

of 


17 2.  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

of  patriotism  which  filled  the  mind  of  all  grown  folk 
was  everywhere  reflected  in  the  minds  of  the  chil- 
dren. Josiah  Quincy  was  at  school  in  Andover  from 
1778  to  1786,  and  he  stated  that  he  and  his  school- 
mates had  as  a principle,  as  a schoolboy  law,  that 
every  hoop,  sled,  etc. , should  in  some  way  bear 
thirteen  marks.  This  was  evidence  of  the  good 
political  character  of  the  owner ; and  if  the  marks 
were  wanting  the  article  was  contraband,  was  seized 
and  forfeited  without  judge,  jury,  or  power  of  appeal. 

Besides  journal  keeping,  folks  of  that  day  had  a use- 
ful custom  of  keeping  a commonplace  book  ; that  is, 
they  wrote  out  in  a blank-book  memorable  sentences 
or  words  which  attracted  their  attention  or  admira- 
tion in  the  various  books  they  read,  or  made  abstracts 
or  notes  of  the  same.  Cotton  Mather  tells  of  such 
note  making  by  young  students.  This  writing  out 
of  aphorisms,  statements,  etc.,  not  only  fixed  them 
in  the  memory,  but  kept  them  where  the  memory,  if 
faulty,  could  easily  be  assisted.  It  also  served  as 
practice  in  penmanship.  A verb,  to  commonplace, 
came  from  this  use  of  the  word.  The  biography  of 
Francis  North,  Baron  Guildford,  gave  an  account 
which  explains  fully  commonplacing  : — 

“It  was  his  lordship’s  constant  practice  to  commonplace 
as  he  read.  He  had  no  bad  memory  but  was  diffident 

and 


Diaries  and  Commonplace  Books  173 

and  would  not  trust  it.  He  acquired  a very  small  but 
legible  hand,  for  where  contracting  is  the  main  business  (of 
law)  it  is  not  well  to  write  as  the  fashion  now  is,  in  uncial 
or  semi-uncial  letters  to  look  like  a pig’s  ribs.  His  writing 
on  his  commonplaces  was  not  by  way  of  index  but  epitome  : 
because  he  used  to  say  the  looking  over  a commonplace 
book  on  any  occasion  gave  him  a sort  of  survey  of  what  he 
had  read  about  matters  not  then  inquisited,  which  refreshed 
them  somewhat  in  his  memory.” 

People  invented  methods  of  keeping  common- 
place books  and  gave  rules  and  instructions  in  com- 
monplacing. I have  seen  several  commonplace 
books,  made  by  children  of  colonial  times;  pathetic 
memorials,  in  every  case,  of  children  who  died  in 
early  youth.  Pender  and  loving  hearts  have  saved 
those  little  unfinished  records  of  childish  reading, 
after  the  way  of  mothers  and  fathers  till  the  pres- 
ent day,  whose  grieved  affections  cannot  bear  the 
thought  even  of  reverent  destruction  of  the  irregu- 
lar writing  of  a dearly  loved  child  whose  hands 
are  folded  in  death.  One  of  these  books  with 
scantily  filled  pages  was  tied  with  a number  of 
note -books  of  an  old  New  England  minister,  and  in 
the  father’s  handwriting  on  the  first  leaf  were  these 
words  : — 

“ Fifty  years  ago  died  my  little  John.  A child  of 
promise.  Alas!  alas!  January  10th,  1805.” 


The 


174 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


The  r natter  read  by  I hose  children  is  clearly  indi- 
cated by  their  commonplace  books.  One  entry  shows 

y Aa/zc'  u/orcJ'  &S'  on-ts 

y/acA-  Aarf  AAu,  vt#'  ^arru/ruc^.  ft/  ''%*■ 
joccfpxAc.  u>c-A£  coie  utfi  a^y  A 

^yo  aftyyrfty&S-tyy  6 Ad.  ort  Ai&tu  6nc  fo/r\  a-A yVtuJj/lu 
<ntz.  cAo?  <^Part  07]  ot/zfirrnoi, ^£MJ  sAptiA'  Aunfrto  Afvt,  ^(Jcy&anj 

/izto y Aea  A&  faoA.  AcAu.  oA/usi  /?<y/Ai.  A/ ou  cAonf  Ayno 

asA  co&~  a.  /&*  u/o-uAAA  Ax  or>aaAc.  <sn yA/twu/y yfAycct 

uxr-c  y Ao  onayAe.  <yy  afyTtasart&cASlcix.  vr?  yy  orrcA £>tmu 

<7Uc  AA  l>-fa  cAl.  AAAoAA,  dZAizA^At^  pAaA  cAoPuf^d  AxyrtoZcAAr  A^fC/AAx^> 
toAAA  anecAzz.  <rru  tz  oAetz/ziA  AAA zzo-prie^A  /<ry  Ccrm/mm.  aeasAiixu 
^AbAjt  AAa^cusM^y/Aijyj'  AAt  ez  ^ulAAy yAxnz  0~y~  AAiju  oriArfxoi, 
^inz/onsf-  unmJ-AAo  y'trv  AAu.  AAA) (mvuA. — A oruz^A-  ctuzuj 
cdoft  uyi  thiA  yAtxozot  azf-  AVdAh  ^ cUy,  AA  AA<rrnfzl<; 

*miznAg~~<z4  oAicc, yiMtcMdooft  A°  yy  2>eoiv  A'AAAc  A/pAAXJuii 
ft /apia  Ao\/ol  AArn  1 A ^1.  Mojjj,  ~A L^ydAA  toyAd,  fo  AlzZ  Zoo  ?y 
ftaorf  ZHooZ-ftftia.  tfvnowrtei' 

Aft.  ewfAAuAyic/  GAccuy/iAcp 
JVAA-  yy  Jywa  tfoxvn  'fttnftjn* 

O^-rnzy  ^ 

yZca*'  /AaJ^ (y**-  t^fL4£  &±sA  C^rnc^Jrt^  vn/ 

S^fUlZ&ns 

Page  from  Diary  of  Anna  Green  Winslow 


evidence  of  light  reading.  It  is  of  riddles  which 
are  headed  “ Guesses  ” ; they  are  the  ones  familiar 
to  us  all  in  Mother  Goose's  Melodies  to-day.  The 


answers 


Diaries  and  Commonplace  Books 


*75 


answers  are  written  in  a most  transparent  juvenile 
shorthand.  Thus  the  answer,  “ Well,”  is  indicated 
by  the  figures  23,  5,  12,  12,  referring  to  the  position 
of  the  letters  in  the  alphabet. 

The  usual  entries  are  of  a religious  character; 
extracts  from  sermons,  answers  from  the  catechism, 
verses  of  hymns,  accompany  stilted  religious 
aspirations  and  appeals.  In  them  a pain- 
ful familiarity  with  and  partiality  for 
quotations  bearing  on  hell  and  the 
devil  show  the  religious 
teaching  of  the 
times. 


CHAPTER  IX 


CHILDISH  PRECOCITY 


Where  babies,  much  to  their  surprise. 

Were  born  astonishingly  zvisc ; 

With  every  Science  on  their  lips. 

And  Latin  at  their  finger-tips. 

— Bab  Ballads.  TV.  S.  Gilbert , l8yj. 

THE  seventeenth  century  was  in  Europe  a 
period  of  eager  development  and  hasty  har- 
vesting; English  boys  were  made  serious- 
minded  bv  the  conditions  they  saw  around  them, 
as  well  as  by  a forcing-house  system  of  education, 
begun  at  very  early  years.  This  early  ageing  is 
reflected  in  the  writings  of  the  times.  The 
Religio  Medici , apparently  the  composition  of  a man 
of  the  large  experience  and  serene  contemplation  of 
extreme  age,  was  written  by  Sir  Thomas  Browne 
when  he  was  but  thirty. 

There  are  many  records  of  the  precocity  of  chil- 
dren, preserved  for  us  many  times,  alas  ! through 
the  sad  recounting  of  early  deaths.  One  of  the 

i76  most 


Samuel  Torrey,  Twelve  Years  Old,  1 770 


Childish  Precocity 


177 


most  pathetic  records  of  a father’s  blasted  hopes 
may  be  found  in  the  pages  of  the  diary  of  John 
Evelyn.  In  December,  1658,  died  his  little  son, 
Richard,  live  years  and  three  days  old.  He  was  a 
prodigy  of  wit  and  learning,  as  beautiful  as  an  angel, 
and  of  rare  mental  endowment.  His  lather’s  ac- 
count of  his  acquirements  runs  thus:  — 

“ He  had  learned  all  his  catechism  at  two  years  and  a 
half  old;  he  could  perfectly  read  any  of  the  English,  Latin, 
French,  or  Gothic  letters,  pronouncing  the  first  three  lan- 
guages exactly.  He  had,  before  the  fifth  year,  or  in  that 
year,  not  only  skill  to  read  most  written  hands,  but  to 
decline  all  the  nouns,  conjugate  the  verbs  regular,  and 
most  of  the  irregular ; learned  out  Puerelis,  got  by  heart 
almost  the  entire  vocabulary  of  Latin  and  French  primitives 
and  words,  could  make  congruous  syntax,  turn  English  into 
Latin,  and  vice  versa,  construe  and  prove  what  he  read, 
and  did  the  government  and  use  of  relatives,  verbs,  sub- 
stantives, ellipses  and  many  figures  and  tropes,  and  made 
a considerable  progress  in  Comenius’  Janua;  begun  him- 
self to  write  legibly  and  had  a strong  passion  for  Greek. 
The  number  of  verses  he  could  recite  was  prodigious,  and 
what  he  remembered  of  the  parts  of  plays  which  he  would 
also  act ; and,  when  seeing  a Plautus  in  one’s  hand,  he 
asked  what  book  it  was,  and  being  told  it  was  comedy  and 
too  difficult  for  him,  he  wept  for  sorrow.  Strange  was  his 
apt  and  ingenious  application  of  fables  and  morals,  for  he 
had  read  TEsop  ; he  had  a wonderful  disposition  to  mathe- 
N matics, 


178 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

matics,  having  by  heart  divers  propositions  of  Euclid 
that  were  read  to  him  in  play,  and  he  would  make  lines 
and  demonstrate  them.  He  had  learned  by  heart  divers 
sentences  in  Latin  and  Greek  which  on  occasion  he  would 
produce  even  to  wonder.  He  was  all  life,  all  prettiness, 
far  from  morose,  sullen,  or  childish  in  any  thing  he  said 
or  did.” 

Of  coarse  this  is  not  given  as  an  ordinary  educa- 
tion of  an  every-day  child.  It  is  an  extraordinary 
record  of  a very  unusual  child,  but  it  shows  what 
an  intelligent  child  could  be  permitted  to  do. 
Evelyn  was  a man  of  great  good  sense;  not  the 
sort  of  man  who  would  force  a child  ; indeed  he 
averred  that  he  abhorred  precocity.  But  in  truth 
it  was  a time  in  England’s  history  when  such  a 
child  could  easily  be  overstimulated,  when  public 
events,  the  course  of  history,  was  so  exciting  that 
every  child  of  keen  wit  must  have  felt  the  effects. 

The  crowding  of  young  minds  did  not  end  with 
the  seventeenth  century^  A striking  example  of  the 
desire  to  press  education  is  found  in  the  letters  of 
Lord  Chesterfield  to  his  son,  beginning  in  1738, 
when  the  boy  was  not  six  years  old.  The  language 
and  subjects  would  be  deemed  to-day  suited  only  to 
mature  minds.  In  1741  the  father  wrote:  — 

“ This  is  the  last  letter  I shall  write  to  you  as  a little 
boy,  for  to-morrow  you  will  attain  your  ninth  year ; so  that 

for 


Childish  Precocity 


179 


for  the  future,  I shall  treat  you  as  a youth.  You  must 
now  commence  a different  course  of  life,  a different  course  of 
studies.  No  more  levity.  Childish  toys  and  playthings 
must  be  thrown  aside,  and  your  mind  directed  to  serious 
objects.  What  was  not  unbecoming  to  a child  would  be 
disgraceful  to  a youth  ” etc. 

Letter  after  letter  continued  in  this  tone.  For 
years  was  the  process  carried  on.  The  result  was  a 
striking  proof  of  the  futility  of  such  methods.  The 
son  died  when  but  little  past  his  youth,  a failure  in 
everything  the  father  had  most  fondly  desired  and 
striven  for.  The  crowded  brain  ever  stumbled  and 
hesitated  when  put  to  any  important  test. 

\ It  was  inevitable  that  New  England  parents,  with 
their  fairly  passionate  intensity  of  zeal  for  the  educa- 
tion of  their  children,  should  in  many  cases  over- 
stimulate and  force  the  infant  minds  in  their  chargpl 
It  seems  somewhat  anomalous  with  the  almost  uni- 
versal distrust  and  hindrance  of  female  education 
that  one  of  the  most  precocious  flowers  of  Puritan- 
ism should  have  been. a girl,  the  “pious  and  ingen- 
ious Mrs.  Jane  TurellT  who  was  born  in  Boston  in 
1708,  Before  her  second  year  was  finished  she 
could  speak  distinctly,  knew  her  letters,  and  “ could 
relate  many  stories  out  of  the  Scriptures  to  the 
satisfaction  and  pleasure  of  the  most  judicious.” 
Governor  Dudley  and  other  “ wise  and  polite  ” 

New 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


1 80 

New  England  gentlemen  were  among  those  entitled 
“judicious,”  who  placed  her  on  a table  to  show 
off  her  acquirements.  When  she  was  three  years 
old  she  could  recite  the  greater  part  of  the  As- 
sembly's■ Catechism , many  of  the  psalms,  many  lines 
of  poetry,  and  read  distinctly  ; at  the  age  of  four  she 
“asked  many  astonishing  questions  about  divine 
mysteries.” 

As  her  father  was  President  of  Harvard  College, 
it  may  be  inferred  she  had  an  extended  reading 
course ; but  in  a catalogue  of  Harvard  College 
library  printed  a year  or  two  later  there  is  not  a 
title  in  it  of  anv  of  the  works  of  Addison,  or  any 
of  the  poems  of  Pope,  nothing  of  Dryden,  Steele, 
Young,  or  Prior.  In  1722,  when  Jane  Turell  was 
twentv  years  old,  the  works  of  Shakespeare  were 
first  advertised  for  sale  in  Boston. 

In  many  families  of  extreme  Puritanical  thought, 
the  children  developed  at  an  early  age  a comprehen- 
sion of  religious  matters  which  would  seem  abnormal 
to-day,  but  was  natural  then/  A striking  instance 
of  this  youthful  development  (as  he  was  of  highly 
sensitive  thought  of  every  description)  was  Jonathan 
Edwards.  A letter  of  his  written  when  he  was 
twelve  years  old  is  certainly  precocious  in  its  depth, 
though  there  is  a certain  hint  of  humor  in  it.  Some 
one  had  stated  the  belief  that  the  soul  was  material 

and 


1 


The  Copley  Family 


Childish  Precocity 


1 8 1 

and  remained  in  the  body  until  after  the  resurrec- 
tion. Young  Edwards  wrote  : — 

“ I am  informed  yl  you  have  advanced  a notion  yf  the 
soul  is  material  and  keeps  wth  ye  body  till  ye  resurrection. 
As  I am  a protest  lover  of  novelty  you  must  alow  me  to 
be  much  entertained  by  this  discovery.  Ist.  I w'1  know 
whether  this  material  soul  keeps  wUl  in  ye  Coffin,  and  if  so 
whether  it  might  not  be  convenient  to  build  a repository 
for  it  in  order  w1'1*  I w'1  know  wk  shape  it  is  of  whether 
round,  triangular  or  foresquare  or  whether  it  is  a number 
of  long  fine  strings  reaching  from  ye  head  to  ye  foot,  and 
whether  it  does  not  live  a very  discontented  life.  I am 
afraid  when  ye  Coffin  gives  way  ye  Earth  will  fall  in  and 
crush  it,  but  if  it  should  chuse  to  live  above  Ground  and 
hover  above  ye  Grave  how  big  it  is,  whether  it  covers  all  ye 
body,  or  is  assined  to  ye  Head  or  Breast,  w1  it  does  when 
another  Body  is  laid  upon  it.  Souls  are  not  so  big  but  y‘ 
io  or  a dozen  of  ym  may  be  about  one  body  whether  yy 
will  not  quarrill  for  ye  highest  place.” 

His  paper  on  spiders,  written  when  he  was  but 
twelve,  has  become  famous  as  a bit  of  childish  com- 
position. It  shows  great  habits  of  observance,  care 
in  note-taking,  and  logical  reasoning;  and  bears  no 
evidence  of  youth  either  in  matter  or  manner. 

A typical  example  of  the  spirit  of  the  times  in 
regard  to  juvenile  education  is  found  in  the  letters 
of  Mrs.  Pinckney.  She  writes  to  a friend  : — 


“ Shall 


1 82  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

“ Shall  I give  you  the  trouble  my  dear  Madam  to  buy 
my  son  a new  toy  (a  description  of  which  I inclose)  to 
teach  him  according  to  Mr.  Locke’s  method  (which  I 
have  carefully  studied)  to  play  himself  into  learning.  Mr. 
Pinckney  (his  father)  himself  has  been  contriving  a sett 
of  toys  to  teach  him  his  letters  by  the  time  he  can  speak. 
You  perceive  we  begin  betimes  for  he  is  not  yet  four 
months  old.” 

This  toy  may  have  been  what  is  known  to-day  as 
a set  of  alphabet  blocks,  a commonplace  toy.  Locke 
speaks  of  a game  of  dice  with  letters  with  which 
children  could  play  a game  like  “royal-oak,”  and 
through  which  they  would  learn  to  spell.  He  was 
not  the  inventor  of  these  “ letter-dice,”  as  is  gener- 
ally asserted.  It  was  a stratagem  of  Sir  Hugh 
Plat,  fully  explained  and  illustrated  in  his  Jewel 
House  of  Art  and  Nature , printed  in  London  in 
1653,  a portion  of  a page  of  which  is  shown  here. 

The  toy  seems  to  have  been  a success,  for  the 
following  year  Mrs.  Pinckney  writes  to  her  sister:  — 

“Your  little  nephew  not  yet  two  and  twenty  months 
old  prattles  very  intelligibly:  he  gives  his  duty  to  you  and 
thanks  for  the  toys,  and  desires  me  to  tell  his  Aunt  Polly 
that  if  she  don’t  take  a care  and  a great  deal  of  pains  in  her 
learning,  he  will  soon  be  the  best  scholar,  for  he  can  tell 
his  letters  in  any  book  without  hesitation,  and  begins  to 
spell  before  he  is  two  years  old.” 


This 


Childish  Precocity 


183 

This  precocious  infant,  afterward  General  Charles 
Cotesworth  Pinckney  of  Revolutionary  tame,  de- 
clared in  his  later  life  that  this  early  teaching  was 
sad  stuff,  and  that  the  haste  to  make  him  a very 


A ready  way  for  children  to  learn  their  A .B ,C. 

CAufe  4 large  dice  oi  bone  or  wood  to  be  made, 
and  upon  every  fquare,  one  of  the  fmal  letters 
of  the  Crols  row  to  be  graven  , but  in  fome  bigger 
fli3pe,and  the  child  ufing  to  play  much  with  them, 

and  being  alwayestold 
what  letter  chanceth  , 
will  loon  gain  his  Al- 
phabet,as  it  were  by  the 
way  of  fport  or  patt- 
ime.  I have  heard  of  a 
pair  of  cards,  whereon 
moft  of  the  principal! 
G rammer  rules  have  beenprinteds  and  the  School* 
Matter  hath  found  good  fport  thereat  with  his 
fchollcrs. 

Facsimile  from  Jewel  House  of  AH  and  Nature 


clever  fellow  nearly  made  him  a very  stupid  one. 

Little  Martha  Laurens,  born  in  Charleston,  South 
Carolina,  in  1759,  could,  in  her  third  year,  “read 
any  book  ” ; and  like  many  another  child  since  her 
day  learned  to  read  holding  the  book  upside  down. 

Joseph 


184  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

Joseph  T.  Buckingham  declared  that  when  he  was 
four  years  old  he  knew  by  heart  nearly  all  the  read- 
ing lessons  in  the  primer  and  much  of  the  West- 
minster Catechism. 

Boys  entered  the  Boston  Latin  School  when  as 
young  as  but  six  years  and  a half  old.  They  began 
to  study  Latin  frequently  when  much  younger. 
Zealous  and  injudicious  parents  sometimes  taught 
infants  but  three  years  old  to  read  Latin  words  as 
soon  as  they  could  English  ones.  It  redounds  to 
the  credit  of  the  scholarship  of  one  of  my  kinsmen, 
rather  than  to  his  good  sense  or  good  temper 
(albeit  he  was  a minister  of  the  Gospel)  that  each 
morning  while  he  shaved,  his  little  son,  five  years 
of  age,  stood  by  his  dressing-table,  on  a footstool, 
and  read  Latin  to  his  father,  who  had  also  a copy 
of  the  same  book  open  before  him,  that  he  might 
note  and  correct  the  child’s  errors.  And  the  child 
when  grown  to  old  age  told  his  children  and 
grandchildren  that  his  father,  angered  at  what  he 
deemed  slowness  of  progress,  frequent  errors  of 
pronunciation,  and  poor  attempts  at  translation, 
would  throw  the  book  at  the  child,  and  once  felled 
him  from  the  footstool  to  the  floor. 

It  is  told  of  Timothy  Dwight,  President  of  Yale 
College,  that  he  learned  the  alphabet  at  a single 
lesson,  and  could  read  the  Bible  before  he  was  four 

years 


Polly  Flagg,  One  Year  Old,  1751 


Childish  Precocity 


185 


years  old,  and  taught  it  to  his  comrades.  At  the 
age  of  six  he  was  sent  to  the  grammar  school  and 
importuned  his  father  to  let  him  study  Latin. 
Being  denied  he  studied  through  the  Latin  gram- 
mar twice  without  a teacher,  borrowing  a book  ot 
an  older  boy.  He  would  have  been  prepared  lor 
college  when  but  eight  years  old,  had  not  the 
grammar  school  luckily  discontinued  and  left  him 
without  a teacher. 

The  curriculum  at  Harvard  in  olden  times  bore 
little  resemblance  to  that  ol  to-day.  Sciences  were 
unknown,  and  the  requirements  in  mathematics 
were  meagre.  Still  a boy  needed  even  then  to  be 
clever  to  know  enough  Greek  and  Latin  to  enter 
at  eleven.  Paul  Dudley  did  so  in  1686.  His 
father  wrote  to  the  president  a quaint  letter  of 
introduction  : — 

u I have  humbly  to  offer  you  a little,  sober,  and  well- 
disposed  son,  who,  tho’  very  young,  if  he  may  have  the 
favour  of  admittance,  I hope  his  learning  may  be  toller- 
able:  and  for  him  I will  promise  that  by  your  care  and  my 
care,  his  own  Industry,  and  the  blessing  of  God,  this 
mother  the  University  shall  not  be  ashamed  to  allow  him 
the  place  of  a son  — Appoint  a time  when  he  may  be 
examined.” 

There  were  still  vounger  college  students.  In 
1799  there  was  graduated  from  Rhode  Island  Col- 
lege 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


i 86 

lege  (now  Brown  University)  a boy  named  John 
Pitman,  who  was  barely  fourteen. 

There  is  no  evidence  that  the  early  marriages, 
that  is,  marriages  of  children  and  very  young  lads 
and  girls, ! which  were  far  from  rare  in  England 
during  the  first  years  of  our  colonial  life,  !ever 
were  permitted  in  the  new  world.!  Nor  were  they 
as  common  at  that  date  in  England  as  during  the 
previous  century,  for  there  had  been  severe  legis- 
lation against  them,  especially  against  the  youthful 
marriages  of  poor  folk. 

Many  have  known  of  the  juvenile  weddings  of 
English  princes  and  princesses  and  marriages  by 
proxy  tor  reasons  of  state;  but  few  know  of  these 
unions  being  general  among  English  people.  An 
interesting  and  authoritative  book  on  this  sub- 
ject was  published  in  1897  by  the  Early  English 
Text  Society.  Dr.  Furnivall  made  a careful  study 
of  the  old  court  records  of  the  town  of  Chester, 
England,  and  published  this  account  of  trials  and 
law  cases  concerning  child-marriages,  divorces,  rati- 
fications, troth-plights,  affiliations,  clandestine  mar- 
riages, and  other  kindred  matters.  It  is,  as  the 
editor  says,  a “most  light-giving”  volume.  It 
ranges  over  all  classes,  from  people  of  wealth,  the 
manor  owners  and  squires,  to  ale  house  keepers, 
farmers,  cobblers,  maids,  and  men.  It  tells  of  the 

marriages 


Childish  Precocity  187 

marriages  of  little  children  in  their  nurses’  arms, 
some  but  two  or  three  years  old,  so  young  that 
their  baby  tongues  could  not  speak  the  words  of 
matrimony.  Various  arrangements,  chiefly  relating 
to  lands  and  maintenance,  led  to  these  marriages, 
also  a desire  to  evade  the  Crown’s  guardianship 
of  orphans.  In  one  case,  a “ bigge  damsell  ” of 
twelve  “intysed  with  two  apples  ” a vounger  boy  to 
marry  her.  “ The  woman  tempted  me  and  I did 
eat.”  One  little  bridegroom  of  three  was  held  up 
in  the  arms  of  an  English  clergyman,  who  coaxed 
him  to  repeat  the  words  of  the  service.  Before  it 
was  finished  the  child  said  he  would  learn  no  more 
of  his  lesson  that  day.  The  parson  answered,  “ You 
must  speak  a little  more  and  then  go  play  yon.” 
The  child-marriage  of  the  Earl  and  Countess  of 
Essex  in  1606,  resulting  in  the  poisoning  of  Sir 
Thomas  Overbury,  and  the  Countess’  marriage  to 
the  Earl  of  Somerset,  is  a well-known  historical 
example  of  the  unhappy  result  of  such  marriages. 
The  Earl  of  Anglesey’s  grandson  was  married 
in  1673,  when  he  was  eight  years  old.  Mary 
Hewitt  of  Danton  Basset  was  wedded  in  1669, 
when  three  years  old.  In  1672  John  Evelyn  was 
present  “ at  the  marriage  of  Lord  Arlington’s  only 
daughter,  a sweet  child  if  there  ever  was  any,  aged 
five,  to  the  Duke  of  Grafton.” 


I 


1 88 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


1 have  given  the  dates  of  these  later  child- 
marriages  to  show  that  they  were  not  unusual  in 
England  long  after  America  was  settled.  As  late 
as  1729  a little  English  girl  of  some  wealth  and  but 
nine  years  old  was  taken  from  her  boarding  school 
by  her  guardian  and  married  to  his  son.  Very  dif- 
ferently did  the  upright  New  Englander  regard  the 
duties  of  guardianship.  A little  girl  named  Rebecca 
Cooper  was  left  an  orphan  in  early  colonial  days 
at  Salem,  Massachusetts.  She  was  “a  verie  good 
match,”  an  “ inheritrice,”  and  the  sharp  eyes  of 
Emanuel  Downing  and  his  wife  were  upon  her  to 
“ make  a motion  of  marriage  ” for  their  son.  Both 
wrote  to  Governor  Winthrop,  Madam  Downing’s 
brother,  to  gain  his  intercession  in  the  matter, 
though  the  maid  had  not  been  spoken  to.  Madam 
wrote  : — 

“The  disposition  of  the  mayde  and  her  education  with 
Mrs.  Endicott  are  hopefull,  her  person  tollerable,  the  estate 
very  convenient,  and  that  is  the  state  of  the  business.” 

Governor  Endicott  was  the  guardian  and  his 
answering  letter  to  Winthrop  has  a manly  and 
honorable  ring  which  might  well  have  sounded  in 
the  ears  of  all  English  guardians. 

“ I am  told  you  are  sollicited  in  a busniss  concerninge 
the  girle  which  was  putt  to  my  warde  and  trust.  I have  not 

been 


James  Flagg,  Five  Years  Old,  1744 


Childish  Precocity 


1 89 

been  made  acquainted  with  it  by  you  know  whome,  which, 
if  there  had  been  any  such  intendment,  I think  had  been  but 
reason.  But  to  let  that  passe,  I pray  you  advise  not  to 
stirre  in  it,  for  it  will  not  be  affected  for  reasons  I shall 
show  you.  • • • 

“ The  Lord  knows  I have  alwais  resolved  (and  so  hath 
my  wife  ever  since  the  girl  came  to  vs)  to  yielde  her  vp  to 
be  disposed  by  yourself  to  any  of  yours  if  ever  the  Lord 
should  make  her  fitt  and  worthie. 

u Now  for  the  other  for  whom  you  writt.  I confesse  I 
cannot  freelie  yeald  thereunto  for  the  present,  for  these 
grounds.  ffirst : The  girle  desires  not  to  mary  as  yet. 
2ndlee  : Shee  confesseth  (which  is  the  truth)  hereselfe  to  be 
altogether  yett  vnfitt  for  such  a condition,  shee  beinge  a 
verie  girl  and  but  15  yeares  of  age.  31'dlie  : Where  the 
man  was  moved  to  her  shee  said  shee  could  not  like  him. 
4thlie : You  know  it  would  be  of  ill  reporte  that  a girl  because 
shee  hath  some  estate  should  bee  disposed  of  soe  young, 
espetialie  not  having  any  parents  to  choose  for  her.  ffifth- 
lie  : I have  some  good  hopes  of  the  child’s  coming  on  to 
the  best  thinges.  And  on  the  other  side  I fear — I will 
say  no  more.  Other  things  I shall  tell  you  when  we 
meet.  If  this  will  not  satisfy  some,  let  the  Court  take 
her  from  mee  and  place  with  any  other  to  dispose  of  her. 
I shall  be  content.  Which  I heare  was  plotted  to  accom- 
plish this  end  ; but  I will  further  enquire  about  it,  and  you 
shall  know  if  it  be  true,  ffor  I know  there  are  many  pas- 
sages about  this  busniss  which  when  you  heare  of  you  will 
not  like.” 


It 


190 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


It  is  pleasant  to  record  that  all  this  match-making 
and  machination  came  to  naught.  It  would  not 
have  been  strange  if  Governor  Winthrop  had 
deemed  this  girl  old  enough  to  be  married.  He 
had  been  but  seventeen  years  old  himself  when  he 
was  married,  but  he  was,  so  he  writes,  “ a man  in 
stature  and  understanding.”  He  evidently  was  of 
the  opinion  that  a child  of  fourteen  or  fifteen  was 
of  mature  years.  When  his  son  John  was  but 
fourteen  the  governor  made  a will  making  the  boy 
the  executor  of  it. 

These  child-marriages  were  not  abolished  in 
America  because  maturity  or  majority  was  estab- 
lished at  a greater  age^  for  up  to  the  Revolution 
boys  reached  man’s  estate  at  sixteen  years  of  age, 
became  tax-payers,  and  served  in  the  militiaT)  Early 
unions  were  controlled  by  restrictive  laws,  such  as 
the  one  enacted  in  Massachusetts  in  1646,  that  no 
female  orphan  during  her  minority  should  be  given 
in  marriage  by  any  one  except  with  the  approba- 
tion of  the  majority  of  the  selectmen  of  the  town  in 
which  she  resided.  Another  privilege  of  the  girl 
orphan  was  that  at  fourteen  she  could  choose 
her  own  guardian.  Thus  were  children 
protected  in  the  new  world, 
and  their  rights 
conserved. 


CHAPTER  X 


OLDTIME  DISCIPLINE 

My  child  and  scholar  take  good  heed 
unto  the  words  that  here  are  set, 

And  sec  thou  do  accordingly 

or  else  be  sure  thou  shalt  be  beat. 

— The  English  Schoolmaster.  Edward.  Coote , 16S0. 


THE  manner  of  old  time  children  differed  as 
much  from  the  carriage  of  children  to-day 
as  the  severe  and  arbitrary  modes  of  disci- 
pline of  colonial  days  differed  from  the  persuasive  ex- 
planations, the  moral  inculcations  and  exhortations 
by  which  modern  youth  are  influenced  to  obedience. 
( Parents,  teachers,  and  ministers  chanted  in  solemn 
and  unceasing  chorus,  ‘/Foolishness  is  bound  up  in 
the  heart  of  a child,”  and  they  believed  the  only  cure 
for  that  foolishness  was  in  stern  repression  and  sharp 
correction  — above  all  in  the  rod.  ' They  found 
abundant  support  for  this  belief  in  the  Bible,  their 
constant  guide. 

John  Robinson,  the  Pilgrim  preacher,  said  in  his 
essay  on  Children  and  Their  Education  : — 

191  “Surely 


1 92  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

u Surely  there  is  in  all  children  (though  not  alike)  a 
stubbernes  and  stoutnes  of  minde  arising  from  naturall 
pride  which  must  in  the  first  place  be  broken  and  beaten 
down  that  so  the  foundation  of  their  education  being  layd  in 
humilitie  and  tractablenes  other  virtues  may  in  their  time 
be  built  thereon.  It  is  commendable  in  a horse  that  he  be 
stout  and  stomackfull  being  never  left  to  his  own  govern- 
ment, but  always  to  have  his  rider  on  his  back  and  his  bit 
in  his  mouth,  but  who  would  have  his  child  like  his  horse 
in  his  brutishnes  ? ” 

The  chief  field  of  the  “ breaking  and  beating 
down  ” process  was  in  school.  English  school- 
masters were  proverbial  for  their  severity,  and  from 
earliest  days ; though  monks  with  their  classes  are 
never  depicted  with  the  rod. 

We  find  Agnes  Paston,  in  1457,  writing  to  Lon- 
don for  word  to  be  delivered  to  the  schoolmaster  of 
her  son  Clement,  who  was  then  sixteen  years  old  : — 

“ If  he  hath  nought  do  well,  nor  wyll  nought  amend, 
pray  hym  that  he  wyll  trewly  belassch  hym,  tyll  he  wyll 
amend  ; and  so  did  the  last  master,  and  the  best  that  ever 
he  had,  at  Cambridge.  And  say  I wyll  give  hym  X marks 
for  hys  labor,  for  I had  lever  he  were  beryed  than  lost  for 
defaute.” 

She  herself  had  “ borne  on  hand  ” on  her  mar- 
riageable daughter ; beating  her  every  week,  some- 
times 


I 


Katherine  Ten  Broeck,  Three  Years  Old,  1719 


Oldtime  Discipline  193 

times  twice  a day,  “ and  her  head  broken  in  two  or 
three  places.”  This  seems  to  have  been  the  usual 
custom  of  the  British  matron  in  high  life.  Ladv 
Jane  Grey,  when  she  was  fifteen  years  old,  never 
came  into  the  presence  of  her  father  and  mother  but 
she  was  “sharply  taunted,  cruelly  threatened,  yea, 
punished  sometimes  with  pinches,  nips,  bobs,  and 
other  way.”  Elizabeth,  Lady  Falkland,  as  long  as 
her  mother  lived,  always  spoke  to  that  rigid  lady 
while  kneeling  before  her,  “ sometimes  for  more  than 
an  hour  together,  though  she  was  but  an  ill  kneeler, 
and  worse  riser.”  Poor  Elizabeth  ! she  was  an  only 
child,  “an  inheritrice  ” ; but  she  could  truthfully 
aver  she  never  was  spoiled. 

An  early  allusion  to  school  discipline  is  in 
the  Boy  Bishop's  Sermon  from  the  press  of  Wynkyn 
de  Worde,  who  died  in  1 535.  It  runs  thus:  — 

u There  is  no  fault  he  doth  but  he  is  punished.  Some- 
times he  wringeth  him  by  the  ear,  sometimes  he  giveth  him 
a strype  on  the  hand  with  the  ferrul,  sometimes  beateth  him 
sharply  with  the  rod.” 

Great  Cromwell  was  sent  off  to  school  with  in- 
junctions to  the  master,  Dr.  Beard,  to  flog  the  bov 
soundly  “for  persisting  in  the  wickedness  of  the 
assertion  ” that  he  had  had  a vision  and  prophecy 
of  his  future  greatness.  Dr.  Johnson  told  of  the 
o unmerciful 


194  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

unmerciful  beating  he  had  by  one  Master  Hunter, 
who  was  “ very  wrong-headedly  severe.”  He  said 
the  man  never  distinguished  between  ignorance  and 
negligence,  and  beat  as  hard  for  not  knowing  a thing 
as  for  neglecting  to  know  it,  and  as  he  whipped 
would  shout,  “ This  I do  to  save  you  from  the 
gallows.”  Still  the  Doctor  was  grateful  for  the 
beatings,  as  he  felt  to  them  he  owed  his  knowledge 
of  Latin  ; and  he  approved  of  the  rod,  saying  of 
some  well-behaved  young  ladies  whose  mother  had 
whipped  them  oft  and  heavily,  in  variation  of  one 
of  Shakespeare’s  lines,  “ Rod , I will  honor  thee  for 
this  thy  duty.”  His  creed  of  correction  was  this  : — 

“ I would  rather  have  the  rod  to  be  the  general  terror 
to  all,  to  make  them  learn,  than  to  tell  a child,  if  you  do 
this,  or  thus,  you  will  be  more  esteemed  than  your  brothers 
and  sisters.  The  rod  produces  an  effect  which  terminates 
in  itself.  A child  is  afraid  of  being  whipped,  and  gets  his 
task,  and  there’s  an  end  on’t.  Whereas,  by  exciting  emu- 
lation and  comparisons  of  superiority,  you  lay  the  foundation 
of  lasting  mischief ; you  make  brothers  and  sisters  hate 
each  other.” 

The  illustrations  of  old  Dutch  books  that  show 
school  furniture,  have  the  odd  ferules  of  monkish 
days,  the  flat  ladle-shaped  pieces  of  wood  which 
were  distinctly  for  striking  the  palm  of  the  scholar’s 

hand. 


Oldtime  Discipline 

hand.  The  derivation  of  the  word  “ ferule  ” is  inter- 
esting. It  is  from  ferula , fennel.  The  tough  stalks 
of  the  giant  fennel  of  Southern  Europe  were  used 


Illustration  from  Plain  Things  for-  Little  Folks 

by  the  Roman  schoolmasters  as  an  instrument  of 
castigation. 

Old  English  lesson  books  of  the  seventeenth  and 
eighteenth  centuries,  many,  even,  of  the  early  years 
of  this  century,  that  have  any  illustrations  of  classes, 
schoolmasters,  or  school  interiors,  invariably  picture 

the 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


1 96 

the  master  with  a rod  or  bunch  ot  birch  twigs.  An 
old  herbalist  says  : — 

“ I have  not  red  of  any  vertue  byrche  hath  in  physick, 
howbeit  it  serveth  many  good  uses,  and  none  better  than 
for  the  betynge  of  stubborn  boyes,  that  either  lye  or  will 
not  learn.” 

Birch  rods  were  tauntingly  sold  on  London  streets 
with  a cry  by  pedlers  of  “ Buy  my  fine  Jemmies; 
Buy  my  London  Tartars.”  Even  that  miserable 
Dyves  Pragmaticus  enumerated  “ Fyne  Rod  for 
Children  of  Wyllow  and  Burche  ” among  his  wares. 
A crowning  insult  was  charging  the  cost  of  birch 
rod  on  schoolboys’  bills;  and  in  some  cases  making 
the  boy  pay  for  the  birch  out  of  his  scant  spending 
money. 

Birch  trees  were  plentiful  in  America  — and  whip- 
pings too.  Scholars  in  New  England  were  not  per- 
mitted to  forget  the  methods  of  discipline  of  “ the 
good  old  days.”  Massachusetts  schools  resounded 
with  strokes  of  the  rod.  Varied  instruments  of 
chastisement  were  known,  from 

“A  besomme  of  byrche  for  babes  verye  fit 
To  a long  lasting  lybbet  for  lubbers  as  meet.” 

A lybbet  was  a billet  of  wood,  and  the  heavy 
walnut  stick  of  one  Boston  master  well  deserved 
the  name.  A cruel  inquisitor  invented  an  instru- 
ment 


i97 


Oldtime  Discipline 

ment  of  torture  which  he  termed  a flapper.  It  was 
a heavy  piece  of  leather  six  inches  in  diameter,  with 
a hole  in  the  middle.  This  was  fastened  by  an  edge 
to  a pliable  handle.  Every  stroke  on  the  bare  flesh 
raised  a blister  the  size  of  the  hole  in  the  leather. 
Equally  brutal  was  the  tattling  stick,  a cat-o’-nine- 
tails  with  heavy  leather  straps.  The  whipping  with 
this  tattling  stick  was  ordered  to  be  done  upon 
“a  peaked  block”  — whatever  that  may  be.  That 
fierce  Boston  disciplinarian  and  patriot,  Master 
Lovell,  whipped  with  strong  birch  rods,  and  made 
one  culprit  mount  the  back  of  another  scholar  to 
receive  his  lashing.  He  called  these  whippings 
trouncings,  the  good  old  English  word  of  the 
Elizabethan  dramatists.  Another  brutal  Boston 
master  struck  his  scholars  on  the  head  with  a ferule, 
until  this  was  forbidden  by  the  school  directors  ; he 
then  whipped  the  soles  of  the  scholars’  feet,  and 
roared  out  in  an  ecstasy  of  cruelty,  “ Oh  ! the  Cai- 
tiffs ! it  is  good  for  them.” 

There  was  sometimes  an  aftermath  of  sorrow, 
when  our  stern  old  grandfathers  whipped  their 
children  at  home  for  being  whipped  at  school,  so 
told  Rev.  Eliphalet  Mott. 

Many  ingenious  punishments  were  invented.  A 
specially  insulting  one  was  to  send  the  pupil  out  to 
cut  a small  branch  of  a tree.  A split  was  made  by 

the 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


1 98 


the  teacher  at  the  severed  end  of  the  branch,  and  the 
culprit’s  nose  was  placed  in  the  cleft  end.  Then 

he  was  forced  to 
stand,  painfully 
pinched,  an  ob- 
ject of  ridicule. 
A familiar  punish- 
ment ot  the-dame 
school,  which  lin- 
gered till  our  own 
day,  was  the  smart 
tapping  of  the 
child’s  head  with 
a heavy  thimble  ; 
this  / was  knqwn 
as  “ thimel  1-pie)” 
Another  was  to 
yoke  two  delin- 
quents together  in 
a yoke  made  with 
two  bows  like  an 
ox  yoke.  Some- 

Whispering  Sticks  . . ' 

times  a boy  and 

girl  were  voked  together  — a terrible  disgrace. 
“ Whispering  sticks  ” were  used  to  preserve  quiet  in 
the  schoolroom.  Two  are  shown  here,  wooden 
gags  to  be  tied  in  the  mouth  with  strings,  some- 
what 


i99 


Oldtime  Discipline 

what  as  a bit  is  placed  in  a horse’s  mouth.  Chil- 
dren were  punished  by  being  seated  on  a unipod,  a 
stool  with  but  a'  single  leg,  upon  which  it  was  most 
tiring  to  try  to  balance;  they  were  made  to  stand  on 
dunce  stools  and  wear  dunce  caps  and  heavy  leather 
spectacles ; they  were  labelled  with  large  placards 
marked  with  degrading  or  ridiculous  names,  such  as 
“Tell-Tale,”  “Bite-Finger-Baby,”  “Lying  Ana- 
nias,” “ Idle-Boy,”  and  “ Pert-Miss-Prat-a-Pace.” 

One  of  Miss  Hetty  Higginson’s  punishments  in 
her  Salem  school  at  the  beginning  of  this  century 
was  to  make  a child  hold  a heavy  book,  such  as  a 
dictionary,  by  a single  leaf.  Of  course  any  restless 
motion  would  tear  the  leaf.  Her  rewards  of  merit 
should  be  also  told.  She  would  divide  a single 
strawberry  in  minute  portions  among  six  or  more 
scholars  ; and  she  had  a “ bussee,”  or  good  child, 
who  was  to  be  kissed. 

Many  stories  have  been  told  of  special  punish- 
ments invented  by  special  teachers.  The  school- 
master at  Flatbush  was  annoyed  by  the  children  in 
his  school  constantly  using  Dutch  words,  as  he  was 
employed  to  teach  them  English.  He  gave  every 
day  to  the  first  scholar  who  used  a Dutch  word  a 
little  metal  token  or  medal.  This  scholar  could 
promptly  transfer  the  token  to  the  next  child  who 
spoke  a Dutch  word,  and  so  on  ; thus  it  went  from 

hand 


200 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


hand  to  hand  through  the  day.  But  the  unlucky 
scholar  who  had  the  token  in  his  possession  at  the 
close  of  school,  received  a sound  whipping. 

An  amusing  method  of  securing  good  lessons 
and  good  behavior  was  employed  by  old  Ezekiel 
Cheever,  and  was  thus  told  by  one  of  his  pupils, 
Rev.  John  Barnard:  — 

u I was  a very  naughty  boy,  much  given  to  play,  in  so 
much  that  Master  Cheever  openly  declared,  ‘ You,  Barnard, 
I know  you  can  do  well  enough  if  you  will,  but  you  are  so 
full  of  play  you  hinder  your  classmates  from  getting  their 
lessons,  therefore  if  any  of  them  cannot  perform  their  duty, 
I shall  correct  you  for  it.’  One  day  one  of  my  classmates 
did  not  look  at  his  book,  and  could  not  say  his  lesson, 
though  I called  upon  him  once  and  again  to  mind  his  book. 
Whereupon  our  master  beat  me.  . . . The  boy  was 
pleased  with  my  being  corrected  and  persisted  in  his  neglect 
for  which  I was  still  beaten  and  that  for  several  days.  I 
thought  in  justice  I ought  to  correct  the  boy  and  compel 
him  to  a better  temper  ; therefore  after  school  was  done  I 
went  to  him  and  told  him  I had  been  beaten  several  times 
for  his  neglect  and  since  master  would  not  correct  him,  I 
would,  and  then  drubbed  him  heartily.” 


The  famous  Lancasterian  system  — that  of  moni- 
torial schools  — discountenanced  the  rod,  but  the 
forms  of  punishment  were  not  wholly  above  criticism. 
They  were  the  neck-and-hands  pillory,]' familiar  up 


7 


to 


201 


Oldtime  Discipline 

to  that  date  in  England  and  America  as  a public 
punishment  of  criminals  ; wooden  shackles  ; hang- 
ing in  a sack  ; tying  the  legs  together  ; and  label- 
ling with  the  name  of  the  offence  against  rules. 


I have  found  nothing  to  show  that  Dutch  school- 
masters were  as  severe  as  those  of  the  English 
colonies.  Dr.  Curtius,  the  first  master  of  the  Latin 
School  in  New  Amsterdam,  complained  that  “ his 

hands 


202 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


hands  were  tied  as  some  of  the  parents  of  his 
scholars  forbade  him  punishing  their  children,”  and 
that  as  a result  these  unruly  young  Dutchmen  “ beat 
each  other  and  tore  the  clothes  from  each  other’s 
backs.”  The  contract  between  the  Flatbush  Church 
and  schoolmaster,  dated  1682,  specifies  that  he  shall 
“ demean  himself  patient  and  friendly  towards  the 
children.” 

The  discipline  of  Master  Leslie,  a New  York 
teacher  of  the  next  century,  is  described  by  Eliza 
Morton  Ouincy  in  her  delightful  Memoirs.  The 
date  is  about  1782  : — 


“ His  modes  of  punishment  would  astonish  children  of 
the  present  day.  One  of  them  was  to  hold  the  blocks. 
They  were  of  two  sizes.  The  large  one  was  a heavy 
block  of  wood,  with  a ring  in  the  centre,  by  which  it  was 
to  be  held  a definite  number  of  minutes,  according  to  the 
magnitude  of  the  offence.  The  smaller  block  was  for  the 
younger  child.  Another  punishment  was  by  a number  of 
leathern  straps,  about  an  inch  wide  and  a finger  long,  with 
which  he  used  to  strap  the  hands  of.  the  larger  boys.” 

One  German  schoolmaster,  Samuel  Dock,  stands 
out  in  reJfieTin-this  desert  of  ignorance  and  cruelty. 
With  simplicity  and  earnestness  he  wrote  in  L75Q 
the  story  of  his  successful  teaching,  as  in  simplicity 
and  earnestness  he  had  taught  in  his  school  at  Ship- 
pack.  His  story  is  as  homely  as  his  life  : — 

“ How 


Oldtime  Discipline 


20  3 


“ How  I Receive  the  Children  in  School. 


“It  is  done  in  the  following  manner.  The  child  is  first 
welcomed  by  the  other  scholars,  who  extend  their  hands  to 
it.  It  is  then  asked  by  me  whether  it  will  learn  industri- 
ously and  be  obedient.  If  it  promises  me  this,  I explain  to 
it  how  it  must  behave;  and  if  it  can  say  its  A.  B.  C.’s  in 
order,  one  after  the  other,  and  also  by  way  of  proof,  can 
point  out  with  the  forefinger  all  the  designated  letters,  it  is 
put  into  the  A-b,  Abs.  When  it  gets  thus  far,  its  father 
must  give  it  a penny  and  its  mother  must  cook  for  it  two 
eggs,  because  of  its  industry;  and  a similar  reward  is  due 
to  it  when  it  goes  further  into  words  ; and  so  forth.” 


He  ^{nade  them  little  presents  as  prizes  ; drew 
pictures  for  them;  taught  them  singing  and  also 
musical  notation  ; and  he  had  a plan  to  have  the 
children  teach  each  other.  He  had  a careful  set 
of  rules  for  their  behavior,  to  try  to  change  them 
from  brutish  peasants  to  intelligent  citizens.  They 
must  be  clean  ; and  delinquents  were  not  punished 
with  the  rod,  but  by  having  the  whole  school  write 
and  shout  out  their  names  with  the  word  “ lazy  ” 
attached.  Letter-writing  was  carefullv  taught,  with 
exercise^  in  writing  to  various  people,  and  to  each 
other.  lErofanity  was  punished  by  wearing  a yoke, 
and  being  told  the  awful  purport  of  the  oaths.'  He 
taught  spelling  and  reading  with  much  Bible  in- 
struction ; but  he  did  not  teach  the  Catechism,  since 

he 


204 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


he  had  scholars  ot  many  sects  and  denominations  ; 
however,  he  made  them  all  learn  and  understand 
what  he  called  the  “honey-flowers  of  the  New 
Testament.” 

In  order  to  appreciate  his  gentleness  and  intelli- 
gence, one  should  know  of  the  drunken,  dirty, 
careless,  “and  cruel  teachers  in  other  Pennsylvania 
schools.  One  whipped  daily  and  hourly  with  a 
hickory  club  with  leather  thongs  attached  at  one 
end;  this  he  called  the  “taws.”  Another  had  a 
row  of  rods  of  different  sizes  which,  with  ugly 
humor,  he  termed  his  “ mint  sticks.”  Another, 
nicknamed  Tiptoe  Bobby,  always  carried  a raccoon’s 
tail  slightly  weighted  at  the  butt-end;  this  he  would 
throw  with  sudden  accuracy  at  any  offender,  who 
meekly  returned  it  to  his  instructor  and  received  a 
fierce  whipping  with  a butt-end  of  rawhide  with 
strips  of  leather  at  the  smaller  end.  One  Ouaker 
teacher  in  Philadelphia,  John  Todd,  had  such  a 
passion  for  incessant  whipping  that,  after  reading 
accounts  of  his  ferocious  discipline,  his  manner  and 
his  words,  the  only  explanation  of  his  violence  and 
cruelty  is  that  of  insanity. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  practice  of  whipping 
servants  was  common  here,  not  only  children  who 
were  bound  out,  and  apprentices  and  young  redemp- 
tioners,  but  grown  servants  as  well.  Occasionally 

the 


Cathalina  Post,  Fourteen  Years  Old,  1750 


Oldtime  Discipline 


205 


the  cruel  master  was  fined  or  punished  for  a brutal 
over-exercise  of  his  right  of  punishment.  At  least 
one  little  child  died  from  the  hand  of  his  murderous 
master.  In  Boston  and  other  towns  commissioners 
were  elected  who  had  power  to  sentence  to  be 
whipped,  exceeding  ten  stripes,  children  and  ser- 
vants who  behaved  “ disobediently  and  disorderly 
toward  their  parents,  masters,  and  governours,  to 
the  disturbance  of  families  and  discouragement  of 
such  parents  and  governours-”  In  Hartford,  Con- 
necticut, a topping  young  maid  felt  the  force  of  a 
similar  law  : — 

“ Susan  Coles  for  her  rebellious  cariedge  towards  her 
mistris  is  to  be  sent  to  the  house  of  correction,  and  be  kept 
to  hard  labour  and  coarse  dyet,  to  be  brought  forth  the  next 
Lecture  Dav  to  be  publicquely  corrected  and  so  to  be  cor- 
rected Weekly  until  Order  be  given  to  the  Contrary.” 

Scores  of  similar  records  might  be  given.  Judge 
Sewall,  in  his  diary,  never  refers  to  punishing  his 
servants,  nor  to  any  need  of  punishing  them.  There 
is  some  evidence  of  their  faithfulness  and  of  his 
satisfaction  in  it,  especially  in  the  references  to  his 
negro  man  servant,  Boston,  who,  after  a life  of 
faithful  service,  was  buried  like  a gentleman,  with 
a ceremonious  funeral,  a notice'  of  his  death  in 
the  News  Letter , a well-warmed  parlor,  chairs  set 

in 


20 6 Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

in  orderly  rows,  cake  and  wine,  and  doubtless 
gloves. 

John  Wynter  was  the  head  agent  of  a London 
company  at  a settlement  at  Richmond’s  Island,  in 
Maine.  His  wife  had  an  idle  maid,  and  some  report 
of  her  beating  this  maid  was  sent  back  to  England. 
Wynter  writes  : — 

u You  write  of  some  v 11  reports  is  given  of  my  Wyfe 
for  beatinge  the  maide : yf  a faire  way  will  not  doe  yt,  beat- 
inge  must  sometimes  vppon  such  idle  girrels  as  she  is.  Yf 
you  think  yt  fitte  for  my  Wyfe  to  do  all  the  work  and  the 
maide  sitt  still,  and  shee  must  forbear  her  hands  to  strike 
then  the  work  will  lye  vndonn.  . . . Her  beatinge  that 
she  hath  had  hath  never  hurt  her  body  nor  limes.  She  is 
so  fatt  and  soggy  shee  can  hardly  doe  any  work.  Yf  this 
maide  at  her  lazy  tymes  when  she  hath  bin  found  in  her 
yll  accyons  doe  not  disserve  2 or  3 blowes  I pray  you  who 
hath  the  most  reason  to  complain  my  Wyfe  or  maide.  My 
Wyfe  hath  an  vnthankful  office.” 

It  has  surprised  me  that  this  complaint  — and 
others  — should  have  been  sent  home  to  England, 
where  (as  we  have  abundant  evidence)  the  whipping 
of  servants  was  excessive  and  constant.  Pepys  and 
other  old  English  authors  make  frequent  note  of 
it.  Pepys  whipped  his  boy  till  his  arm  was  lame. 

The  Diary  of  a Lady  of  Quality  gives  some  glimpses 
of  this  custom.  On  January  30,  1760,  Lady 

Frances 


Illustration  from  "Young  Wilfrid 


. 


Oldtime  Discipline  207 

Frances  Pennoyer  writes  at  her  home  at  Bullmgham 
Court,  Herefordshire,  that  one  of  her  maids  spoke 
in  the  housekeeper’s  room  about  a matter  that  was 
not  to  the  credit  of  the  family.  My  lady  knew  there 
was  truth  in  what  the  girl  said,  but  it  was  not  her 
place  to  speak  ol  it,  and  she  must  be  taught  to 
know  and  keep  her  place. 

The  diarist  writes:  — 

u She  hath  a pretty  face,  and  should  not  be  too  ready  to 
speak  ill  of  those  above  her  in  station.  I should  be  very 
sorry  to  turn  her  adrift  upon  the  world,  and  she  hath  but  a 
poor  home.  Sent  for  her  to  my  room,  and  gave  her  choice, 
either  to  be  well  whipped  or  to  leave  the  house  instantly. 
She  chose  wisely  I think  and  with  many  tears  said  I might 
do  what  I liked.  I bade  her  attend  my  chamber  at  twelve. 

“ Dearlove,  my  maid,  came  to  my  room  as  I bade  her.  I 
bade  her  fetch  the  rod  from  what  was  my  mother-in-law’s 
rod-closet,  and  kneel  and  ask  pardon,  which  she  did  with 
tears.  I made  her  prepare,  and  I whipped  her  well.  The 
girl’s  flesh  is  plump  and  firm,  and  she  is  a cleanly  person, 
such  a one,  not  excepting  my  own  daughters  who  are  thin, 
and  one  of  them,  Charlotte,  rather  sallow,  as  I have  not 
whipped  for  a long  time.  She  hath  never  been  whipped 
before,  she  says,  since  she  was  a child  (what  can  her  mother 
and  the  late  lady  have  been  about  I wonder  ?),  and  she  cried 
out  a great  deal.” 

Poor  little  Dearlove,  fair  and  plump,  and  in  bitter 

tears 


208 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


Lears — you  make  a more  pleasing  picture  seen 
through  the  haze  of  a century  than  tierce  my  lady 
with  her  rod. 

The  many  hundred  pages  of  Judge  Sewall’s  diary 
give  abundant  testimony  ot  his  tender  affection  for 
his  children.  In  this  record  of  his  entire  married  life 
he  but  twice  refers  to  punishing  his  children;  once 
his  son  was  whipped  for  telling  a lie,  a second  time 
he  notes  the  punishment  thus:  — 

“ 1692,  Nov.  6.  Joseph  threw  a knob  of  Brass,  and 
hit  his  sister  Betty  upon  the  forehead  so  as  to  make  it 
bleed  ; upon  which,  and  for  his  playing  at  Prayer-time,  and 
eating  when  Return  Thanks  I whip’d  him  pretty  smartly. 
When  I first  went  in,  call’d  by  his  Grandmother,  he  sought 
to  shadow  and  hide  himself  from  me  behind  the  head  of 
the  Cradle,  which  gave  me  the  sorrowful  remembrance  of 
Adam’s  carriage.” 

It  was  natural  that  Judge  Sewall,  ever  finding 
symbols  of  religious  signification  in  natural  events, 
should  see  in  his  son  Joseph’s  demeanor  a painful 
reminder  of  original  sin  ; and  we  can  imagine  with 
what  sad  sense  of  duty  he  whipped  him. 

It  is  the  standard  resort  of  ignorant  writers  upon 
Puritanism,  and  especially  upon  Puritanic  severity, 
to  give  the  name  of' CottQn  Mather  as  a prime 
expositor  of  cruel  discipline.  I have  before  me  a 
magazine  illustration  which  represents  him,  lean, 

lank, 


209 


Oldtime  Discipline 


lank,  violent,  and  mean  of  aspect,  with  clipped  head, 
raising  a heavy  bunch  of  rods  over  a cowering  child. 
He  was  in  reality  exceedingly  handsome,  very  richly 
bewigged,  with  the  full,  distinctly  sensual  counte- 
nance of  the  Cottons,  not  the  severe  ascetic  fea- 
tures of  the  Mathers,  and  he  as  strongly  opposed 
punishment  by  the  rod  as  most  of  his  friends  and 
neighbors  favored  and  practised  it.  His  son  wrote 
of  him  : — 


^“The  slavish  way  of  education  carried  on  with  raving 
and  kicking  and  scourging,  in  schools  as  well  as  in  families, 
he  looked  upon  as  a dreadful  judgment  of  God  on  the 
world  : he  thought  the  practice  abominable  and  expressed 
a mortal  aversion  to  it. 

“The  first  chastisement  which  he  would  inflict  for  any 
ordinary  fault,  was  to  let  the  child  see  and  hear  him  in  an 
astonishment,  and  hardly  able  to  believe  that  the  child 
would  do  so  base  a thing.  He  would  never  come  to  give 
the  child  a blow,  except  in  case  of  obstinacy,  or  something 
very  criminal.  To  be  chased  for  a while  out  of  his  pres- 
ence he  would  make  to  be  looked  upon  as  the  sorest 
punishment  in  his  family.” 


There  can  be  found  episodes  of  colonial  history 
where  the  disprejudiced  modern  mind  can  perceive 
ample  need  of  the  sharp  whippings  so  freelv  be- 
stowed upon  dull  or  idle  scholars  and  slow  servants. 
Cotton  Mather  was  too  gentle  and  too  forbearing 
P toward 


210 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


toward  certain  children  with  whom  he  had  close 
relations.  A “ warm  birch  ” applied  in  the  early 
stages  of  that  terrible  tragedy,  the  Salem  Witch- 
craft, to  Ann  Putnam,  the  protagonist  of  that  drama, 
would  doubtless  so  quickly  have  ended 
it  in  its  incipiency  as  to  obliter- 
ate it  entirely  from 
the  pages  of 
history. 


William  Verstile  1 769 


CHAPTER  XI 


MANNERS  AND  COURTESY 


A child  should  always  say  what' s true. 

And  speak  when  he  is  spoken  to. 

And  behave  mannerly  at  table. 

At  least  as  far  as  he  is  able. 

— A Child' s Garden  of  Verse.  Robert  Louis  Stevenson,  1 Soy, 


IN  ancient  days  in  England,  manners  and  cour- 
tesy, manly  exercises,  music  and  singing,  knowl- 
edge of  precedency  and  rank,  heraldry  and 
ability  to  carve,  were  much  more  important  elements 
in  education  than  Latin  and  philosophy.  Children 
were  sent  to  school,  and  placed  in  great  men’s  houses 
to  learn  courtesy  and  the  formalities  of  high  life. 

Of  all  the  accomplishments  and  studies  of  the 
Squire  as  recounted  by  Chaucer  in  the  Canter- 
bury Tales , but  one  would  now  be  taught  in  Eng- 
lish college — music.  Of  all  which  were  taught, 
courtesy  was  deemed  the  most  important. 

“Aristotle  the  Philosopher 
this  worthye  sayinge  writ 
That  manners  in  a chylde 
are  more  requisit 


21 1 


Than 


2 12  Child  Lite  in  Colonial  Days 

Than  playinge  on  instrumentes 
and  other  vayne  pleasure  ; 

For  virtuous  manners 

is  a most  precious  treasure.” 

The  importance  given  to  outward  forms  of  cour- 
tesy was  a natural  result  of  the  domination  for  cen- 
turies of  the  laws  of  chivalry  and  rules  ot  heraldry. 
But  they  were  something  more  than  outward  show. 
Emerson  says,  “ The  forms  of  politeness  univer- 
sally express  benevolence  in  a superlative  degree.” 
They  certainly  developed  a regard  tor  others  which 
is  evinced  in  its  highest  and  best  type  in  the  charac- 
ter of  what  we  term  a gentleman  and  gentlewoman. 

It  is  impossible  to  overestimate  the  value  these 
laws  of  etiquette,  these  conventions  of  customs  had 
at  a time  when  neighborhood  life  was  the  whole  out- 
side world.  Without  them  life  would  have  proved 
unendurable.  Even  savage  nations  and  tribes  have 
felt  in  their  isolated  lives  the  need  of  some  con- 
ventions, which  with  them  assume  the  form  of 
taboos,  superstitious  observances,  and  religious  re- 
strictions. 

The  laws  of  courtesy  had  much  influence  upon 
the  development  of  the  character  of  the  colonial 
child.  Domestic  life  lacked  many  of  the  comforts 
of  to-day,  but  save  in  formality  it  did  not  differ  in 
essential  elements  from  our  own  home  life.  Every- 
thing 


Manners  and  Courtesy 


21 3 


thing  in  the  community  was  made  to  tend  to  the 
preservation  of  relations  of  civility  ; this  is  plainly 
shown  by  the  laws.  Modern  historians  have  been 
wont  to  wax  jocose  over  the  accounts  of  law-suits 
for  slander,  scandal-monging,  name-calling,  lying, 
etc.,  which  may  be  found  in  colonial  court  records. 
Astonishingly  petty  seem  many  of  the  charges  ; even 
the  calling  of  degrading  nicknames,  making  of  wry 
faces,  jeering,  and  “finger-sticking”  were  fined  and 
punished.  But  all  this  rigidity  tended  to  a preser- 
vation of  peace.  The  child  who  saw  a man  fined 
for  lying,  who  beheld  another  set  in  the  stocks  for 
calling  his  neighbor  ill  names,  or  repeating  scan- 
dalous assertions,  grew  up  with  a definite  knowl- 
edge of  the  wickedness  and  danger  of  lying,  and  a 
wholesome  regard  for  the  proprieties  of  life.  These 
sentiments  may  not  have  made  him  a better  man, 
but  they  certainly  made  him  a more  endurable  one. 

The  child  of  colonial  days  had  but  little  con- 
nection with,  little  knowledge  of,  the  world  at  large. 
He  probably  never  had  seen  a map  of  the  world, 
and  it  he  had,  he  didn’t  understand  it.  Foreign 
news  there  was  none,  in  our  present  sense.  Of  special 
English  events  he  might  occasionally  learn,  months 
after  they  had  happened  ; but  never  any  details  nor 
any  ordinary  happenings.  European  information 
was  of  the  scantiest  and  rarest  kind  ; knowledge  of 

the 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


214 

the  result  of  a war  or  a vast  disaster,  like  the  Lisbon 
earthquake,  might  come.  From  the  other  great 
continents  came  nothing. 

Nor  was  his  knowledge  of  his  own  land  extended. 
There  was  nothing  to  interest  him  in  the  news- 
letter, even  if  he  read  it.  He  cared  nothing  for  the 
other  colonies,  he  knew  little  of  other  towns.  If 
he  lived  in  a seaport,  he  doubtless  heard  from  the 
sailors  on  the  wharves  tales  of  adventure  and  roman- 
tic interest,  and  he  heard  from  his  elders  details  of 
tra^ie,  both  of  foreign  and  native  ports. 

The  boy,  therefore,  grew  up  with  his  life  revolv- 
ing in  a small  circle;  the  girl’s  was  still  smaller.  It 
had  its  advantages  and  its  serious  disadvantages. 
It  developed  an  extraordinarily  noble  and  pure  type 
of  neighborliness,  but  it  did  not  foster  a general 
broad  love  of  humanity.  Perhaps  those  conditions 
developed  types  which  were  fitted  to  receive  and 
absorb  gradually  the  more  extended  views  of  life 
which  came  through  the- wider  extent  of  vision, 
which  has  been  brought  to  us  by  newspapers,  by 
steam,  and  by  electricity.  At  any  rate  children 
were  serenely  content,  for  they  were  unconscious. 

Among  early  printed  English  books  are  many 
containing  rules  of  courtesy  and  behavior.  Many 
of  these  and  manuscripts  on  kindred  topics  were 
carefully  reprinted  in  1868  by  the  Early  English 

Text 


The  Peppered  Children 


Manners  and  Courtesy 


215 


Text  Society  of  Great  Britain.  Among  these  are  : 
The  Babees  Book ; The  Lytill  Children  s Lytil  Boke ; 
The  Boke  of  Nurture , 1577  ; "The~  Boke  of  Curtasye , 
1460;  The  Schole  of  Vertue , 1557.  From  those  days 
till  the  present,  similar  books  have  been  written  and 
printed,  and  form  a history  of  domestic  manners. 

It  certainly  conveys  an  idea  of  the  demeanor  of 
children  of  colonial  days  to  read  what  was  enjoined 
upon  them  in  a little  book  ot  etiquette  which  was 
apparently  widely  circulated,  and  doubtless  carefully 
read.  Instructions  as  to  behavior  at  the  table  run 
thus : — 

u Never  sit  down  at  the  table  till  asked,  and  after  the 
blessing.  Ask  for  nothing;  tarry  till  it  be  offered  thee. 
Speak  not.  Bite  not  thy  bread  but  break  it.  Take  salt 
only  with  a clean  knife.  Dip  not  the  meat  in  the  same. 
Hold  not  thy  knife  upright  but  sloping,  and  lay  it  down  at 
right  hand  of  plate  with  blade  on  plate.  Look  not  ear- 
nestly at  any  other  that  is  eating.  When  moderately  satis- 
fied leave  the  table.  Sing  not,  hum  not,  wriggle  not.  Spit 
no  where  in  the  room  but  in  the  corner,  and  — ” 

But  I will  pursue  the  quotation  no  further,  nor 
discover  other  eighteenth-century  pronenesses  pain- 
fully revealed  in  lurid  light  in  other  detailed 
“ Don’ts.” 

It  is  evident  that  the  ancient  child  was  prone  to 
eat  as  did  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson,  hotly,  avidly,  with 

strange 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


2 1 6 

strange  loud  eager  champings;  he  was  enjoined  to 
more  moderation  : — 

u Eat  not  too  fast  nor  with  Greedy  Behavior.  Eat 

not  vastly  but  moderately. 
Make  not  a noise  with  thy 
Tongue,  Mouth,  Lips,  or 
Breath  in  Thy  Eating  and 
Drinking.  Smell  not  of 
thy  Meat;  nor  put  it  to 
Thy  Nose  ; turn  it  not  the 
other  side  upward  on  Thy 
Plate.” 

In  many  households 
in  the  new  world  chil- 
dren could  not  be 
seated  at  the  table, 
even  after  the  blessing 
had  been  asked.  They 
stood  through  the  en- 
tire meal.  Sometimes 
they  had  a standing 
place  and  plate  or 
trencher;  at  other 
boards  they  stood  be- 
hind the  grown  folk  and  took  whatever  food  was 
handed  to  them.  This  must  have  been  in  families 
of  low  social  station  and  meagre  house  furnishings. 

In 


~ 

THE 

SCHOOL 
O P 

MANNERS. 

O R 

RULES  for  Childrens 
Behaviour: 

AtChurch,at  Home.atTable, 
inCompany,inDifcourfe,at 
Schoofabroad,  and  among 
Boys.  With  fome  other 
Ihort  and  mixt  Precepts. 

By  the  Author  .of  the  Enghjb 
Exercifes. 

2C&e  JFourtl)  (EotttoB. 
LONDON. 

Printed  for  Tho  Coclenl],  at  the 
Three  Legs  andBibleagainft  Gro- 
cen-Hall  in  the  Ptukrtj,  1701, 


Title-page  of  The  School  of  Manners 


Manners  and  Courtesy 


217 


In  many  homes  they  sat  or  stood  at  a side-table, 
and  trencher  in  hand,  ran  over  to  the  great  table  for 
their  supplies.  A certain  formality  existed  at  the 
table  of  more  fashionable  folk.  Children  were  given 
a few  drops  of  wine  in  which  to  drink  the  health 
of  their  elders.  In  one  family  the  formula  was, 
“ Health  to  papa  and  mamma,  health  to  brothers 
and  sisters,  health  to  all  my  friends.”  In  another, 
the  father’s  health  only  was  named.  Sometimes 
the  presence  of  grandparents  at  the  table  was  the 
only  occasion  when  children  joined  in  health- 
drinking. 

The  little  book  teaches  good  listening  : — 

“When  any  speak  to  thee,  stand  up.  Say  not  I have 
heard  it  before.  Never  endeavour  to  help  him  out  if  he 
tell  it  not  right.  Snigger  not;  never  question  the  Truth 
of  it.” 

The  child  is  enjoined  minutely  as  to  his  behavior 
at  school : to  take  off  his  hat  at  entering,  and  bow 
to  the  teacher;  to  rise  up  and  bow  at  the  entrance 
of  any  stranger;  to  “ bawl  not  in  speaking  ”;  to  “walk 
not  cheek  by  jole,”  but  fall  respectfully  behind  and 
always  “give  the  Wall  to  Superiors.” 

The  young  student’s  passage  from  his  home  to 
his  school  should  be  as  decorous  as  his  demeanor  at 
either  terminus  : — 


“ Run 


2l8 


Child  Life  in  Colgnial  Days 

“ Run  not  Hastily  in  the  Street,  nor  go  too  Slowly. 
Wag  not  to  and  fro,  nor  use  any  Antick  Postures  either 
of  thy  Head,  Hands,  Feet  or  Body.  Throw  not  aught 


( 9 ) 

17.  Bife  not  thy  bread,  but 
breaK  ic,  but  not  with  flovenly 
Fingers,  nor  with  the  fame  where- 
with thou  takef!  up  thy  meat, 

jS  Dip  not  thy  Meat  in  the 
Sa  wee. 

19.  Take  not  fait  withagreazy 
Knife. 

10  Spit  not,  cough  not,  nor 
blow  thy  Noie  at  Table  if  it  may 
be  avoided  ; but  tf  there  be  ne- 
certity,  do  it  afide,  and  without 
much  noife. 

xi.  Lean  not  thy  Elbow  on 
the  Table,  or  on  the  back  of  thy 
Chair. 

2i.  Stuff  not  thy  mouth  fo 
as  to  fill  thy  Cheeks;  be  contenr 
with  fmallet  Mouthfuls. 

23.  Blow  not  thy  Meat,  but 
with  Patience  watt  till  it  be  cool. 

24..  Sup  not  Broth’  at  the  Ta- 
ble, but  eat  it  with  a Spoon. 


Page  of  The  School  of  Manners 


on  the  Street,  as  Dirt  or  Stones.  If  thou  meetest  the 
scholars  of  any  other  School  jeer  not  nor  affront  them, 
but  show  them  love  and  respect  and  quietly  let  them  pass 
along.” 


Boys 


Manners  and  Courtesy 


219 


Boys  took  a good  deal  from  their  preceptors, 
and  took  it  patiently  and  respectfully ; but  I can 
well  imagine  the  roar  of  disgust  with  which  even  a 
much-hampered,  eighteenth-century  schoolboy  read 
the  instructions  to  show  love  and  respect  to  the  boys 
of  a rival  school  and  not  to  jeer  or  fire  stones  at  them. 

This  book  of  manners  was  reprinted  in  Worcester 
by  Isaiah  Thomas  in  1787.  I have  seen  an  earlier 
edition,  called  The  School  of  Manners , which  was 
published  in  London  in  1701.  The  title-page  and 
a page  of  the  precepts  are  here  reproduced.  The 
directions  in  these  books  of  etiquette  are  plainly 
copied  from  a famous  book  entitled  Youths'  Be- 
haviour, or  Decency  in  Conversation  Amongst  Men , a 
book  unsurpassed  in  the  seventeenth  century  as  an 
epitome  of  contemporary  manners,  and  held  in  such 
esteem  that  it  ran  through  eleven  editions  in  less 
than  forty  years  after  its  first  appearance.  Not  the 
least  remarkable  thing  about  this  volume  was  the 
fact  that  the  first  edition  in  English  was  by  an 
“ ingeniose  Spark  ” not  then  eight  years  of  age,  one 
Francis  Hawkins,  who  rendered  it  from  “ the  French 
of  grave  persons.”  The  bookseller  begs  the  reader 
to  “ connive  at  the  stile,”  on  the  plea  that  it  was 
“wrought  by  an  uncouth  and  rough  file  of  one  in 
green  years.”  Green  years  ! we  cannot  fancy  sober 
young  Francis  as  ever  green  or  as  anything  but  a 


sere 


220  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

sere  and  prematurely  withered  leaf.  We  can  see  him 
in  sad  colored  attire,  carefully  made  quill  pen  in 
hand,  seated  at  desk  and  standish,  his  poor  little 
shrunken  legs  hanging  pitifully  down,  inditing  on 
foolscap  with  precision  and  elegance  his  pompous 
precepts.  After  all  he  only  translated  these  maxims  ; 
hence,  perhaps,  was  the  reason  that  he  managed  to 
live  to  grow  up.  For  translating  did  not  tax  his 
“intellectuals  ” as  would  have  composition. 

The  Youths  Behaviour  contained  many  rules  and 
instructions  worded  from  still  older  books  on  cour- 
tesy, such  as  The  Babees  Book , and  The  Boke  of  Nur- 
ture, and  traces  ot  those  hackneyed  rules  lingered 
even  in  the  etiquette  books  of  Isaiah  Thomas,  long 
after  the  house-furnishings  and  household  condi- 
tions indicated  bv  them  and  sometimes  necessitated 
by  them  had  become  as  obsolete  as  the  formal  duties 
of  the  squire’s  sons,  “ the  younkers  of  account,  youths 
of  good  houses,  and  young  gentlemen  henxmen,”  for 
whom  they  had  originally  been  written.  Let  us 
believe  that  the  habits  pointed  out  by  such  rules 
were  obsolete  also.  I cannot  think,  for  instance, 
that  the  boy  born  after  our  Revolutionary  war  was 
in  the  habit  of  casting  poultry  and  meat  bones  under 
dining  tables,  even  though  he  is  so  seriously  en- 
joined not  to  do  so.  This  rule  is  a survivor  from 
the  earthen  floors  and  dirty  ways  of  old  England. 

A 


Manners  and  Courtesy 


11 1 


A famous  book  of  rules  of  etiquette,  entitled  The 
Mirror  of  Compliments , was  printed  in  1635  i'1  Eng- 
land, and  as  late  as  1795  many  pages  of  it  were 
reprinted  in  America  by  Thomas  under  the  title 
A New  Academy  of  Compliments.  The  teachings  in 
this  book  were  fearfully  and  wonderfully  polite. 
This  is  the  sort  of  thing  enjoined  upon  children 
and  grown  folk  as  correct  phrases  to  be  exchanged 
on  the  subject  of  breaking  bread  together  : — 

“ Sir,  you  shall  oblige  me  very  much  if  you  will  do  me 
the  honour  to  take  my  poor  dinner  with  me. 

“ Sir,  you  are  too  courteous  and  persuasive  to  be  refused 
and  therefore  I shall  trouble  you. 

“ Sir,  pray  excuse  your  bad  entertainment  at  the  present 
dinner  and  another  time  we  will  endeavour  to  make  you 
amends. 

“Truly,  Sir,  it  has  been  very  good,  without  any  defect, 
and  needs  no  excuse.” 

'QThe  child  who  sought  to  be  mannerly  certainly 
must  have  felt  rather  discouraged  at  the  prospect 
laid  before  him.  These  superfluities  of  politeness 
were  equalled  by  the  absurdities  of  restraint?)  It 
would  certainly  have  been  a study  of  facial  ex- 
pression to  see  the  average  schoolboy  when  he  read 
this  dictum,  “ It  is  a wilde  and  rude  thing  to  lean 
upon  ones  elbow.” 

In  Brinsley’s  Grammar  Schoole , written  in  1612, 

he 


222 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


he  enumerates  the  cc  bookes  to  bee  first  learned  of 
children.”  First  were  “ abcies  ” and  primers,  then 
the  Psalms  in  metre,  then  the  Testament. 

“Then  if  any  other  require  any  little  booke  meet  to 
enter  Children,  the  Schoolc  of  Virtue  is  one  of  the  Principall, 
and  easiest  for  the  first  enterers  being  full  of  precepts  of 
ciuilitie.  . . . And  after  the  Schoolc  of  Good  Manners , 
leading  the  child  as  by  the  hand,  in  the  way  of  all  good 
manners.” 

The  constant  reading  of  these  books,  and  the 
persistent  reprinting  of  their  formal  rules  of  behavior, 
mav  have  tended  to  conserve  the  old-fashioned  de- 
portment of  children  which  has  been  so  lamented  by 
aged  grumblers  and  lovers  of  the  good  old  times. 
It  was  certainly  natural  that  children  should  be 
affected  by  the  regard  for  etiquette,  the  distinc- 
tions of  social  position  which  they  saw  heeded 
all  around  them,  and  in  all  departments  of  life. 
No  man  could  enlist  in  the  Massachusetts  Cav- 
alry unless  he  had  a certain  amount  of  property. 
Even  boys  in  college  had  their  names  placed  in  the 
catalogues,  not  by  classes,  years,  scholarship,  or 
alphabetical  order,  but  by  the  dignity  and  wealth  of 
their  family  and  social  position  ; and  a college  boy 
at  Harvard  had  to  give  the  baluster  side  of  the 
staircase  to  any  one  who  was  his  social  superior. 

Of 


Thomas  Aston  Coffin,  Three  Years  Old 


Manners  and  Courtesy 


22  j 

Of  course  the  careful  “seating  of  the  meeting”  was 
simply  an  evidence  of  this  regard  of  rank  and 
station. 

It  was  a profound  distance  between  Mr.  and 
Goodman.  Mistress  and  Goody  marked  a dis- 
tinction as  positive  if  not  as  great  as  between  a 
duchess  and  a milkmaid.  Unmarried  women  and 
girls,  if  deemed  worthy  any  title  at  all,  were  not 
termed  Miss,  but  were  also  Mrs.  Rev.  Mr.  Tomp- 
son wrote  a funeral  tribute  to  a little  girl  of  six, 
entitled,  “A  Neighbour’s  Tears  dropt  on  ye  Grave 
of  an  amiable  Virgin  ; a pleasant  Plant  cut  down  in 
the  blooming  of  her  Spring,  viz:  Mrs.  Rebecka 
Sewall  August  ye  4th,  1710.”  Cotton  Mather 
wrote  of  “ Mrs.  Sarah  Gerrish,  a very  beautiful  and 
ingenious  damsel  seven  years  of  age.”  Miss  was 
not  exactly  a term  of  reproach,  but  it  was  not  one  of 
respect.  It  denoted  childishness,  flippancy,  lack  of 
character,  and  was  not  applied  in  public  to  children 
of  dignified  families.  In  Evelina  the  vulgar  cousins, 
the  Branghtons,  call  the  heroine  Miss.  “ Lord ! 
Miss,  never  mind  that!”  “Aunt  has  told  you  all 
hant  she,  Miss  ? ” 

A certain  regard  for  formality  obtained  even  in 
very  humble  households.  The  childhood  of  David 
and  John  Brainerd,  born  respectively  in  1718  and 
1720,  in  East  Haddam,  Connecticut,  who  later  in 

life 


224 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


life  were  missionaries  to  the  New  Jersey  Indians,  has 
been  written  by  a kinsman.  They  were  nurtured 
under  the  influences  of  Connecticut  Puritanism,  in 
a simple  New  England  home.  Their  biographer 
writes  of  their  rearing  : — 

“ A boy  was  early  taught  a profound  respect  for  his 
parents,  teachers,  and  guardians,  and  implicit  prompt  obe- 
dience. If  he  undertook  to  rebel  his  will  was  broken  by 
persistent  and  adequate  punishment.  He  was  taught  that 
it  was  a sin  to  find  fault  with  his  meals,  his  apparel,  his 
tasks  or  his  lot  in  life.  Courtesy  was  enjoined  as  a duty. 
He  must  be  silent  among  his  superiors.  If  addressed  by 
older  persons  he  must  respond  with  a bow.  He  was  to 
bow  as  he  entered  and  left  the  school,  and  to  every  man 
and  woman,  old  or  young,  rich  or  poor,  black  or  white, 
whom  he  met  on  the  road.  Special  punishment  was  visited 
on  him  if  he  failed  to  show  respect  for  the  aged,  the  poor, 
the  colored,  or  to  any  persons  whatever  whom  God  had 
visited  with  infirmities.” 

\ 

All  children  in  godly  households  were  taught 
personal  consideration  of  the  old  and  afflicted,  a 
consideration  which  lasted  till  our  present  days  of 
organized  charities/  As  a lesson  of  patience  and 
kindness,  read  Mrs.  Silsbee’s  account  of  the  blind 
piano  tuner  in  Salem.  He  was  employed  in  many 
households  and  ever  treated  with  marked  atten- 
tion. His  tuning  instrument  had  to  be  placed  for 

him 


Manners  and  Courtesy 


11 


him  on  each  piano-screw  by  some  member  of  the 
family.  He  was  paid,  given  cake  and  wine,  then 
humored  by  being  given  a tangled  skein  of  silk  to 
unravel  and  thus  show  his  dexterity,  and  finally  led 
tenderly  home. 

Sir  Francis  Doyle  says,  “ It  is  the  intention  of 
the  Almighty  that  there  should  exist  for  a certain 
time  between  childhood  and  manhood,  the  natural 
production  known  as  a boy.”  This  natural  produc- 
tion existed  two  centuries  ago  as  well  as  to-day. 

/ 'Though  children  were  certainly  subdued  and  silent 
in  the  presence  of  older  folk,  still  they  were  boys 
and  girls,  not  machine-like  models  of  perfection. 
We  know  of  their  turbulence  in  church  ; and  boys 
in  colonial  days  robbed  orchards,  and  played  ball 
in  the  streets,  and  tore  down  gates,  and  frightened 
horses,  and  threw  stones  with  as  much  vim  and 
violence  as  if  they  had  been  born  in  the  nineteenth 
century.  Mather,  in  his  Vindication  of  New  Eng- 
land, referring  to  the  charge  of  injuring  King’s 
Chapel,  shows  us  Boston  schoolboys  in  much  the 
same  mischief  that  schoolboys  have  been  in  since  : — 


“All  the  mischief  done  is  the  breaking  of  a tew  Quarels 
of  Glass  by  idle  Boys,  who  if  discover’d  had  been  chastis’d 
by  their  own  Parents.  They  have  built  their  Chapel  in  a 
Publick  burying  place,  next  adjoining  a great  Free  School, 
where  the  Boyes  (having  gotten  to  play)  may,  some  by 
s-  Accident, 


116  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

Accident,  some  in  Frolick,  and  some  perhaps  in  Revenge 
for  disturbing  their  Relatives’  Graves  by  the  Foundation  of 
that  Building,  have  broken  a few  Quarels  of  the  Windows.” 

Children  did  not  always  pose  either  as  models  of 
decorum  or  propriety  in  their  relations  with  each 
other.  In  a little  book  called  The  Village  School , 
we  read  of,  their  beating  and  kicking  each  other, 
and  that  there  was  one  bleeding  nose.  Worse 
yet,  when  the  girls  went  forth  to  gather 
“daisies  and  butter-flowers,”  the  ungal- 
lant boys  kicked  the  girls 
“ to  make  them 
pipe.” 


CHAPTER  XII 


RELIGIOUS  THOUGHT  AND  TRAINING 

Puritanism  is  not  of  the  Nineteenth  Century,  but  of  the  Seven- 
teenth, the  grand  unintelligibility  for  us  lies  there.  The  Fast  Day 
Sermons,  in  spite  of  printers,  are  all  grown  dumb.  In  long  rows 
of  dumpy  little  quartos  they  indeed  stand  here  bodily  before  us ; by 
human  volition  they  can  be  read,  but  not  by  any  human  memory 
remembered.  The  Age  of  the  Puritans  is  not  extinct  only  and  gone 
away  from  us,  but  it  is  as  if  fallen  beyond  the  capabilities  of  memory 
itself ; it  is  grown  what  we  may  call  incredible.  Its  earnest  Pur- 
port awakens  now  no  resonance  in  our  frivolous  hearts,  . . . the 
sound  of  it  has  become  tedious  as  a tale  of  past  stupidities. 

— Oliver  Cromwell' s Life  and  Letters.  Thomas  Carlyle,  /Syj. 

THE  religious  aspect  of  the  life  of  children, 
especially  in  early  colonial  days,  and  most 
particularly  in  New  England,  bore  a far 
deeper  relation  to  the  round  of  daily  life  than  can 
be  accorded  to  it  in  these  pages.  The  spirit  of  the 
Lord,  perhaps  I should  say  the  fear  of  the  Lord, 
truly  filled  their  days.  Born  into  a religious  atmos- 
sphere,  reared  in  religious  ways,  surrounded  on  every 
side  by  religious  influences,  they  could  not  escape 

227  the 


228 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


the  impress  of  deep  religious  feeling;  they  certainly 
had  a profound  familiarity  with  the  Bible.  The 
historian  Green  says  that  the  Englishman  of  that 
day  was  a man  of  one  book,  and  that  book  the  Bible. 
It  might  with  equal  truth  be  said  that  the  universal 
child’s  book  of  that  day  was  the  Bible.  There  were 
tew  American  children  until  after  the  Revolution 
who  had  ever  read  from  any  book  save  the  Bible,  a 
primer,  or  catechism,  and  perhaps  a hymn  book  or 
an  almanac. 

The  usual  method  at  that  time  of  reading  the 
Bible  through  was  in  the  regular  succession  of  every 
chapter  from  beginning  to  end,  not  leaving  out  even 
Leviticus  and  Numbers.  This  naturally  detracted 
from  the  interest  which  would  have  been  awakened 
by  a wise  selection  of  parts  suited  to  the  liking  of 
children  ; and  many  portions  doubtless  frightened 
young  children,  as  we  have  abundant  record  in  the 
writings  of  Sewall  and  Mather.  J.  T.  Buckingham 
stated  in  his  Memoirs  that  he  read  the  Bible  through 
at  least  a dozen  times  before  he  was  sixteen  years 
old.  Some  portions,  especially  the  Apocalypse  or 
Revelation  of  St.  John,  filled  him  with  unspeakable 
terror,  and  he  called  the  enforced  reading  of  them  “ a 
piece  of  gratuitous  and  unprofitable  cruelty.”  He 
was  careful,  however,  to  pay  due  tribute  to  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Bible  upon  his  literary  composition  and 

phraseology. 


Mrs.  John  Hesseiius  and  her  Children.  John  and  Caroline 


!19 


Religious  Thought  and  Training 

phraseology.  The  constant  reading  of  the  beautiful 
English  wording  of  the  Bible  influenced  not  only 
the  style  of  writing  of  that  day,  but  controlled  the 
everyday  speech  of  the  people,  keeping  it  pure  and 
simple. 

There  was  one  important  reason  for  the  unfailing 
desire  of  English  folk  for  the  Bible  and  the  employ- 
ment of  its  words  and  terms ; it  was  not  only  the 
sole  book  with  which  most  English  readers  were 
familiar,  — the  book  which  supplied  to  them  sacred 
hymns  and  warlike  songs,  the  great  voices  of  the 
prophets,  the  parables  of  the  Evangelists,  stories  of 
peril  and  adventure,  logic,  legends,  history,  visions, — 
but  it  was  also  a new  book.  The  family  of  the 
seventeenth  century  that  read  the  words  of  the  small 
Geneva  Bibles  in  the  home  circle,  or  poorer  folk 
who  listened  to  the  outdoor  reading  thereof,  heard 
a voice  that  they  had  longed  for  and  waited  for  and 
suffered  for,  and  that  their  fathers  had  died  for,  and 
a treasure  thus  acquired  is  never  lightly  heeded. 
The  Pilgrim  Fathers  left  England  for  Holland 
before  King  James’  Bible,  our  Authorized  Version, 
had  been  published.  The  Puritans  of  the  Boston 
and  Salem  settlements  had  seen  the  importation  of 
Geneva  Bibles  forbidden  in  England  by  Laud  in 
1633,  and  the  reading  prohibited  at  their  meetings. 
They  revelled  in  it  in  their  new  homes,  for  custom 

had 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


230 

had  not  deadened  their  delight,  and  they  were  filed 
with  it ; it  satisfied  them  ; they  needed  no  other 
literature. 

Though  Puritanism  in  its  anxious  and  restricted 
religionism  denied  freedom  to  childhood,  yet  the 
spirit  of  Puritanism  was  deeply  observant  and  con- 
servative of  family  relations.  The  meagre  records 
of  domestic  life  in  Puritan  households  are  full  of  a 
pure  affection,  it  not  of  grace  or  good  cheer.  The 
welfare,  if  not  the  pleasure  of  their  children,  lay 
close  to  the  heart  of  the  Pilgrims.  Their  love  was 
seldom  expressed,  but  their  rigid  sense  of  duty  ex- 
tended to  duty  to  be  fulfilled  as  well  as  exacted. 

Governor  Bradford  wrote  in  his  now  world-famous 
Log-book , in  his  lucid  and  beautiful  English,  an 
account  of  the  motives  of  the  emigration  from  Hol- 
land, and  in  a few  sentences  therein  he  gives  one  of 
the  most  profound  reasons  of  all,  their  intense  yearn- 
ing for  the  true  welfare  of  their  children  : — 

u As  necessitie  was  a taskmaster  over  them,  so  they 
were  forced  to  be  such,  not  only  to  their  servants  but  in  a 
sorte,  to  their  dearest  children  ; the  which  as  it  did  not 
a little  wound  ye  tender  harts  of  many  a loving  father  and 
mother,  so  it  produced  likewise  sundrie  sad  and  sorrowful 
effects.  For  many  of  theier  children,  that  were  of  best 
dispositions  and  gracious  inclinations,  having  lernde  to  bear 
the  yoake  in  their  youth  and  willing  to  beare  parte  of  their 

parents 


Religious  Thought  and  Training  231 

parents  burden,  were  often  times  so  oppressed  with  their 
hevie  labours,  that  though  their  minds  were  free  and  will- 
ing yet  their  bodies  bowed  under  ye  weight  of  ye  same, 
and  became  decrepid  in  their  early  youth,  the  vigor  ot 
nature  being  consumed  in  ye  very  budd  as  it  were.  But 
that  which  was  more  lamentable  and  of  all  sorrows  most 
heavie  to  be  borne  was  that  many  of  their  children,  were 
drawne  away  by  evill  examples  into  extravagant  and  dan- 
gerous coarses,  getting  ye  raines  off  their  necks,  and  depart- 
ing from  their  parents.” 

This  country  was  settled  at  a time  when  all  Eng- 
lish people  were  religious.  The  Puritan  child  was 
full  of  religious  thoughts  and  exercises,  so  also  was 
the  child  of  Roman  Catholic  parents,  or  one  reared 
in  the  Established  Church.  The  diarist  Evelyn 
was  a stanch  Church  of  England  man,  no  lover  of 
Puritan  ways,  but  he  could  write  thus  of  his  little 
child  : — 

“As  to  his  piety,  astonishing  were  his  applications  of 
Scripture  upon  occasion  and  his  sense  of  God.  He  had 
learned  all  his  Catechism  early,  and  understood  all  the 
historical  part  of  the  Bible  and  New  Testament  to  a 
wonder,  how  Christ  came  to  redeem  mankind,  and  how 
comprehending  those  messages  himself,  his  godfathers  were 
discharged  of  his  promises. 

“ He  would  of  himself  select  the  most  pathetic  psalms 
and  chapters  out  of  Job,  to  read  to  his  maid  during  his 

sickness, 


232 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


sickness,  telling  her,  when  she  pitied  him,  that  all  God’s 
children  must  suffer  affliction.  He  declaimed  against  the 
vanities  of  the  world  before  he  had  seen  any.  Often  he 
would  desire  those  who  came  to  see  him  to  pray  by  him, 
and  a year  before  he  fell  sick  to  kneel  and  pray  with  him 
alone  in  some  corner.” 

It  was  not  of  a Puritan  dame  that  this  was 
written  : — 

“H  er  Maids  came  into  her  Chamber  early  every  morning, 
and  ordinarily  shee  passed  about  an  howr  with  them  ; In 
praying,  and  catechizing,  and  instructing  them  : To  these 
secret  and  private  Praiers,  the  publick  Morning  and  Even- 
ing praiers  of  the  Church,  before  dinner  and  supper,  and 
another  form,  together  with  reading  Scriptures,  and  singing 
Psalms,  before  bed-time,  were  daily  and  constantly  added.” 

This  zealous  Christian  was  Letice,  Lady  Falk- 
land, a devoted  Church  of  England  woman ; so 
strict  was  she  that  if  she  missed  any  from  the  reli- 
gious services,  she  “ presently  sent  for  them  and 
consecrated  another  howr  of  praier  there  purposely 
for  them.”  A strenuous  insistence  showed  inself  in 
all  sects  in  the  new  world.  The  “ Articles  Lawes 
and  Orders  Divine  Politique  and  Martiall  for  the 
colony  of  Virginea  ” were  unrivalled  in  their  min- 
gling of  barbarity  and  Christianity  by  any  other  code 
of  laws  issued  in  America.  No  Puritan  dared  go 
farther  than  did  the  good  Episcopalian  Sir  Thomas 

Dale. 


Religious  Thought  and  Training  233 

Dale.  For  irreverence  to  “any  Preacher  or  Minis- 
ter of  Gods  Holy  Word  ” the  offender  was  to  be 
whipped  three  times  and  thrice  to  ask  public  for- 
giveness. Any  one  who  persistently  refused  to  be 
instructed  and  catechized  could  be  whipped  every 
day.  Rigidly  were  all  forced  to  attend  the  Sunday 
exercises. 

There  is  one  name  which  must  appear  constantly 
on  the  pages  of  any  history  of  New  England  of  the 
half  century  from  1680  to  [728,  — that  of  Cotton 
Mather.  This  reference  is  due  him  not  only 
because  he  was  prominent  in  the  history  of  those 
years,  but  because  he  is  the  preserver  of  that 
history  for  us.  From  his  multitudinous  pages  — 
full  though  they  be  of  extraordinary  religious  senti- 
ments, strained  metaphors,  and  unmistakable  slang 
— we  also  gain  much  to  show  us  the  life  of  his  day. 
The  man  himself  was  not  only  a Puritan  of  the 
Puritans,  but  the  personification  of  a passionate  de- 
sire to  do  good.  This  constant  thought  for  others 
and  wish  to  benefit  them  frequently  led  him  to  per- 
form deeds  which  were  certainly  officious,  ill-timed, 
and  unwelcome,  though  inspired  by  noble  motives. 

His  son  Samuel  wrote  a life  of  him,  which  has  justly 
been  characterized  by  Professor  Barrett  Wendell  as 
the  most  colorless  book  in  the  English  language  ; 
but  even  from  those  bleached  and  dried  pages  we 

learn 


234 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


learn  of  Cotton  Mather’s  love  of  his  children,  and 
his  earnest  desire  for  their  education  and  salva- 
tion. His  son’s  words  may  be  given  as  evidentlv 
truthful  : — 

“ He  began  betimes  to  entertain  them  with  delightful 
stories,  especially  Scriptural  ones  ; and  he  would  ever  con- 
clude with  some  lesson  of  piety  bidding  them  to  learn  that 
lesson  from  the  story.  Thus  every  day  at  the  table  he 
used  himself  to  tell  some  entertaining  tale  before  he  rose; 
and  endeavor  to  make  it  useful  to  the  olive  plants  about  the 
table.  When  his  children  accidentally  at  any  time  came  in 
his  way,  it  was  his  custom  to  let  fall  some  sentence  or 
other  that  might  be  monitory  or  profitable  to  them. 

“ He  betimes  tried  to  engage  his  children  in  exercises  of 
piety,  and  especially  secret  prayer.  . . . He  would  often 
call  upon  them,  ‘Child,  don’t  you  forget  every  day  to  go 
alone  and  pray  as  I have  directed  you.’  He  betimes 
endeavoured  to  form  in  his  children  a temper  of  kindness. 
He  would  put  them  upon  doing  services  and  kindnesses  for 
one  another  and  other  children.  He  would  applaud  them 
when  he  saw  them  delight  in  it.  He  would  upbraid  all 
aversion  to  it.  He  would  caution  them  exquisitely  against 
all  revenges  of  injuries  and  would  instruct  them  to  return 
good  offices  for  evil  ones.  . . . He  would  let  them  dis- 
cover  he  was  not  satisfied,  except  when  they  had  a sweet- 
ness of  temper  shining  in  them.” 

H is  thought  for  the  young  did  not  cease  with 
those  of  his  own  family;  he  never  failed  to  instil 

good 


Charlotte  and  Elizabeth  Hesselius 


Religious  Thought  and  Training  235 


good  lessons  everywhere  ; and  a special  habit  of  his 
on  visiting  any  town  was  to  beg  a holiday  for  the 
school  children,  asking  them  to  perform  some  reli- 
gious task  in  return. 

Another  Puritan  preacher,  Rev.  Ezekiel  Rogers, 
was  so  laden  with  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  knowledge 
that  “ he  stoopt  for  the  very  children  to  pick  off  the 
apple  ready  to  drop  into  their  mouths.”  When 
they  came  to  his  study,  he  would  examine  them, 
“ How  they  walked  with  God  ? How  they  spent 
their  time,  what  good  books  they  read  ? Whether 
they  prayed  without  ceasing?”  He  wrote  to  a 
brother  minister  in  1657  : — 

u Do  your  children  and  family  grow  more  godly  ? I 
find  greatest  trouble  and  grief  about  the  rising  generation. 
Young  people  are  little  stirred  here  ; but  they  strengthen 
one  another  in  evil  by  example  and  by  counsel.  Much 
ado  have  I with  my  own  family ; hard  to  get  a servant 
that  is  glad  of  catechizing  or  family  duties.  I had  a rare 
blessing  of  servants  in  Yorkshire,  and  those  that  I brought 
over  were  a blessing,  bat  the  young  brood  doth  much  afflict 
me.  Even  the  children  of  the  godly  here,  and  elsewhere 
make  a woful  proof.” 

These  ministers  lived  at  a time  when  New  Eng- 
land Puritanism  in  its  extreme  type  was  coming  to 
a close ; but  parents  and  households  thus  reared 
clung  more  rigidly  and  exactly  to  it  and  instilled 

in 


236  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

in  it  a fervent  hope  of  giving  permanency  to  what 
seemed  to  their  sad  eyes  in  danger  of  being  wholly 
thrust  aside  and  lost.  Such  religionists  were  both 
Cotton  Mather  and  Samuel  Sewall,  “ true  New- 
English  Christians  ” they  called  and  deemed  them- 
selves. They  were  very  gentle  with  their  children; 
but  a profound  anxiety  for  the  welfare  of  those 
young  souls  made  them  most  cruel  in  the  intensity 
of  their  teaching  and  warning;  especially  displeas- 
ing to  modern  modes  of  thought  are  their  constant 
reminders  of  death. 

When  Cotton  Mather’s  little  daughter  was  but 
four  years  old  he  made  this  entry  in  his  diary:  — 

“ I took  my  little  daughter  Katy  into  my  Study  and 
then  I told  my  child  I am  to  dye  Shortly  and  shee  must, 
when  1 am  Dead,  remember  Everything  I now  said  unto 
her.  I sett  before  her  the  sinful  Condition  of  her  Nature, 
and  I charged  her  to  pray  in  Secret  Places  every  Day. 
That  God  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ  would  give  her  a 
New  Heart.  I gave  her  to  understand  that  when  I am 
taken  from  her  she  must  look  to  meet  with  more  humbling 
Afflictions  than  she  does  now  she  has  a Tender  Father  to 
provide  for  her.” 

The  vanity  of  all  such  painful  instruction,  har- 
rowing to  the  father  and  terrifying  to  the  child,  is 
shown  in  the  sequel.  Cotton  Mather  did  not  die 
till  thirty  years  afterward,  and  long  survived  the 

tender 


237 


Religious  Thought  and  Training 

tender  little  blossom  that  he  loved  vet  blighted  with 
the  chill  and  dread  of  death. 

The  pages  of  Judge  Sewall’s  diary  sadly  prove 
his  performance  of  what  he  believed  to  be  his  duty 
to  his  children,  just  as  the  entries  show  the  bewilder- 
ment and  terror  of  his  children  under  his  teachings. 
Elizabeth  Sewall  was  the  most  timid  and  fearful  of 
them  all  ; a frightened  child,  a retiring  girl,  a vacil- 
lating sweetheart,  an  unwilling  bride,  she  became 
the  mother  of  eight  children  ; but  always  suffered 
from  morbid  introspection,  and  overwhelming  fear 
of  death  and  the  future  life,  until  at  the  age  of  thirty- 
five  her  father  sadly  wrote,  “ God  has  delivered  her 
now  from  all  her  fears.” 

The  process  which  developed  this  unhappy  na- 
ture is  plainly  shown  bv  many  entries  in  the 
diary.  This  was  when  she  was  about  five  years 
old : — 


“It  falls  to  my  daughter  Elizabeth’s  Share  to  read  the 
24  of  Isaiah  which  she  doth  with  many  Tears  not  being 
very  well  and  the  Contents  of  the  Chapter  and  Sympathy 
with  her  draw  Tears  from  me  also.” 

The  terrible  verses  telling  of  God’s  judgment  on 
the  land,  of  fear,  of  the  pit,  of  the  snare,  of  empti- 
ness and  waste,  of  destruction  and  desolation,  must 
have  sunk  deep  into  the  heart  of  the  sick  child,  and 

produced 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


238 

produced  the  condition  shown  by  this  entry  when 
she  was  a few  years  older  : — 

“ When  I came  in,  past  7 at  night,  my  wife  met  me  in 
the  Entry  and  told  me  Betty  had  surprised  them.  I was 
surprised  with  the  Abruptness  of  the  Relation.  It  seems 
Betty  Sewall  had  given  some  signs  of  dejection  and  sorrow; 
but  a little  while  after  dinner  she  burst  into  an  amazing 
cry  which  caus’d  all  the  family  to  cry  too.  Her  Mother 
ask’d  the  Reason,  she  gave  none;  at  last  said  she  was 
afraid  she  should  go  to  Hell,  her  Sins  were  not  pardon’d. 
She  was  first  wounded  by  my  reading  a sermon  of  Mr. 
Norton’s;  Text,  Ye  shall  seek  me  and  shall  not  find  me. 
And  these  words  in  the  Sermon,  Ye  shall  seek  me  and  die 
in  your  Sins,  ran  in  her  Mind  and  terrified  her  greatly. 
And  staying  at  home,  she  read  out  of  Mr.  Cotton  Mather 
— Why  hath  Satan  filled  thy  Heart  ? which  increas’d  her 
Fear.  Her  Mother  asked  her  whether  she  pray’d.  She 
answered  Yes,  but  fear’d  her  prayers  were  not  heard, 
because  her  sins  were  not  pardoned.” 

Poor  little  wounded  Betty ! her  fear  that  she 
should  go  to  hell  because  she,  like  Spira,  was  not 
elected,  was  answered  by  her  father  who,  having  led 
her  into  this  sad  state,  was  but  ill-fitted  to  comfort 
her.  Both  prayed  with  bitter  tears,  and  he  says 
mournfully,  “ I hope  God  heard  us.”  Hell,  Satan, 
eternal  damnation,  everlasting  torments,  were  ever 
held  up  before  these  Puritan  children.  We  could 

truthfully 


Religious  Thought  and  Training  239 

truthfully  paraphrase  Wordsworth’s  beautiful  line 
“H  eaven  lies  about  us  in  our  infancy,”  and  say  of 
these  Boston  children,  “ Hell  lay  about  them  in 
their  infancy.”  The  lists  in  their  books  of  the 
proper  names  in  the  Bible  had  an  accompanying  list 
— that  of  names  of  the  devil. 

A most  painfully  explicit  account  of  one  of  the 
ultra-sensitive  natures  developed  by  these  methods 
is  given  by  Cotton  Mather  in  his  most  offensive 
style  in  a short  religious  biography  of  Nathaniel 
Mather.  The  boy  died  when  he  was  nineteen  years 
old,  but  unhappily  he  kept  a diary  of  his  religious 
sentiments  and  fears.  He  fasted  often  and  prayed 
constantly  even  in  his  sleep.  He  wrote  out  in 
detail  his  covenant  with  God,  and  I cannot  doubt 
that  he  more  than  lived  up  to  his  promises,  as  he 
did  to  the  minute  rules  he  laid  out  for  his  various 
religious  duties.  Still  this  young  Christian  was  full 
of  self-loathing,  horrible  conceptions  of  God,  un- 
bounded dread  of  death,  and  all  the  horrors  of  a 
morbid  soul. 

A letter  written  by  an  older  Mather  (about  1638), 
when  he  was  twelve  years  old,  shows  an  ancestral 
tendency  to  religious  fears  : — 

“Though  I am  thus  well  in  body  yet  I question 
whether  my  soul  doth  prosper  as  my  body  doth,  for  I per- 
ceive yet  to  this  very  day,  little  growth  in  grace ; and  this 

makes 


240 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


makes  me  question  whether  grace  be  in  my  heart  or  no.  1 
feel  also  daily  great  unwillingness  to  good  duties,  and  the 
great  ruling  of  sin  in  my  heart ; and  that  God  is  angry 
with  me  and  gives  me  no  answers  to  my  prayers ; but 
many  times  he  even  throws  them  down  as  dust  in  my  face ; 
and  he  does  not  grant  my  continued  request  for  the  spiritual 
blessing  of  the  softening  of  my  hard  heart.  And  in  all  this  I 
could  yet  take  some  comfort  but  that  it  makes  me  to  won- 
der what  God’s  secret  decree  concerning  me  may  be  : for  I 
doubt  whether  even  God  is  wont  to  deny  grace  and  mercy 
to  his  chosen  (though  uncalled ) when  they  seek  unto  him 
by  prayer  for  it  ; and  therefore,  seeing  he  doth  thus  deny 
it  to  me,  I think  that  the  reason  of  it  is  most  like  to  be 
because  I belong  not  unto  the  election  of  grace.  I desire  that 
you  would  let  me  have  your  prayers  as  I doubt  not  but  I 
have  them,  and  rest 

“Your  Son,  Samuel  Mather.” 

A strong  characteristic  of  English  folk  at  the 
time  of  the  settlement  of  the  American  colonies  was 
superstition.  This  showed  not  only  in  scores  of 
petty  observances  but  in  serious  beliefs,  such  as 
those  about  comets  and  thunder-storms.  It  con- 
trolled medical  practice,  and  was  displayed  in  the 
religious  significance  attributed  to  trifling  natural 
•events.  It  was  evinced  in  the  dependence  on 
dreams,  and  the  dread  of  portents.  Naturally  chil- 
dren were  imbued  with  the  beliefs  and  fears  of  their 

parents. 


Charles  Spooner  Cary,  Eight  Years  Old,  1786 


Religious  Thought  and  Training  24I 

parents,  and  multiplied  the  importance  and  the 
terror  of  these  notions.  It  can  readily  be  seen  that 
religious  training  and  thought,  such  as  was  shown  in 
the  families  of  Samuel  Sewall  and  Cotton  Mather, 
joined  to  hereditary  traits  and  race  superstitions, 
could  naturally  produce  a condition  of  mind  and 
judgment  which  would  permit  such  an  episode  as 
that  known  as  the  Salem  Witchcraft.  Nor  is  it 
anything  but  natural  to  find  that  those  two  promi- 
nent Bostonians  took  such  important  parts  in  the 
progress  of  that  tragedy. 

It  was  mv  intent  to  devote  a chapter  of  this  book 
to  the  results  of  the  study  of  the  part  borne  by 
children  in  that  sad  tale  of  psychological  phenomena 
and  religious  fanaticism.  The  study  proved  most 
fascinating,  and  research  was  faithfully  made ; but 
a stronger  desire  was  that  children  might  find  some 
pleasure  in  these  pages  in  reading  of  the  child  life 
of  their  forbears.  Such  a chapter  could  neither  be 
profitable  to  the  child  nor  comprehended  by  him, 
nor  would  it  be  to  the  taste  of  parents  of  the  present 
day.  It  was  a sad  tale,  but  was  not  peculiar  to 
Salem  nor  to  New  England.  The  Salem  and 
Boston  settlers  came  largely  from  the  English 
counties  of  Suffolk  and  Essex,  where  witches  and 
witch-hunters  and  witch-finders  abounded,  and  Sa- 
lem children  and  parents  had  seen  in  their  Eng- 
lish 


R 


242 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


lish  homes  or  heard  (he  tales  of  hundreds  of  similar 
obsessions  and  possessions. 

New  England  children  were  instilled  with  a 
familiarity  with  death  in  still  another  way  than 
through  talking  and  reading  of  it.  Their  presence 
at  funerals  was  universal.  A funeral  in  those  days 
had  an  entirely  different  status  as  a ceremony  from 
to-day.  It  was  a social  function  as  well  as  a solemn 
one ; it  was  a reunion  of  friends  and  kinsfolk,  a 
ceremonial  of  much  expense  and  pomp,  a scene  of 
much  feasting  and  drinking. 

Judge  Sewall  tells  of  the  attendance  of  his  little 
children  when  five  and  six  years  old  at  funerals. 
When  Rev.  Thomas  Shepherd  was  buried  “scholars 
went  before  the  Herse”  at  the  funeral.  Sargent, 
in  his  Dealings  with  the  Dead , tells  of  country 
funerals  in  the  days  of  his  youth:  — 

“ When  I was  a boy  and  at  an  academy  in  the  country 
everybody  went  to  everybody’s  funeral  in  the  village.  The 
population  was  small,  funerals  rare ; the  preceptor’s  ab- 
sence would  have  excited  remark  and  the  boys  were  dis- 
missed for  the  funeral.  ...  A clergyman  told  me  that 
when  he  was  settled  at  Concord,  N.H.,  he  officiated  at 
the  funeral  of  a little  boy.  The  body  was  borne  in  a 
chaise,  and  six  little  nominal  pall-bearers,  the  oldest  not 
thirteen,  walked  by  the  side  of  the  vehicle.  Before  they 
left  the  house  a sort  of  master  of  ceremonies  took  them 


to 


Religious  Thought  and  Training  243 

to  the  table  and  mixed  a tumbler  of  gin,  sugar  and  water 
for  each.” 

A crisis  was  reached  in  Boston  when  funerals  had 
to  be  prohibited  on  Sundays  because  the  vast  con- 
course of  children  and  servants  that  followed  the 
coffin  through  the  streets  became  a noisy  rabble 
that  profaned  the  sacred  day. 

Little  girls  were  pall-bearers  also  at  the  funerals 
of  their  childish  mates,  and  young  unmarried  girls 
at  those  of  their  companions.  Dressed  in  white 
with  uncovered  heads,  or  veiled  in  white,  these 
little  girls  made  a touching  sight. 

Religious  expression  naturally  found  its  highest 
point  in  Puritan  communities  in  the  strict  and 
decorous  observance  of  Sunday.  Stern  were  the 
laws  in  ordering  this  observance.  Fines,  imprison- 
ment, and  stripes  on  the  naked  back  were  dealt  out 
rigorously  for  Sabbath-breaking.  The  New  Haven 
Code  of  Laws  with  still  greater  severity  enjoined  that 
profanation  of  the  Lord’s  Day,  if  done  “ proudly 
and  with  a high  hand  against  the  authority  of  God,” 
should  be  punished  with  death.  This  rigid  ob- 
servance fell  with  special  force  and  restriction  on 
children.  A loved  poet,  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes, 
wrote  of  the  day  : — 

“ Hush,  ’tis  the  Sabbath’s  silence-stricken  morn. 

No  feet  must  wander  through  the  tasselled  corn. 


No 


244  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

No  merry  children  laugh  around  the  door. 

No  idle  playthings  strew  the  sanded  floor. 

The  law  of  Moses  lays  its  awful  ban 

On  all  that  stirs.  Here  comes  the  Tithing-man.” 

There  were  many  public  offices  in  colonial  times 
which  we  do  not  have  to-day,  for  we  do  not  need 
them.  One  of  these  is  that  of  tithing-man ; he 
was  a town  officer,  and  had  several  neighboring 
families  under  his  charge,  usually  ten,  as  the  word 
“ tithing”  would  signify.  He  enforced  the  learning 
of  the  church  catechism  in  these  ten  homes,  visited 
the  houses,  and  heard  the  children  recite  their  cate- 
chism. These  ten  families  he  watched  specially  on 
Sundays  to  see  whether  they  attended  church,  and 
did  not  loiter  on  the  way.  In  some  Massachusetts 
towns  he  watched  on  week  days  to  keep  “ boys  and 
all  persons  from  swimming  in  the  water.”  Ten 
families  with  many  boys  must  have  kept  him  busy 
on  hot  August  days.  He  inspected  taverns,  re- 
ported disorderly  persons,  and  forbade  the  sale  of 
intoxicating  liquor  to  them.  He  administered  the 
“ oath  of  fidelity  ” to  new  citizens,  and  warned 
undesirable  visitors  and  wanderers  to  leave  the  town. 
He  could  arrest  persons  who  ran  or  rode  at  too 
fast  a pace  when  going  to  meeting  on  Sunday,  or 
who  took  unnecessary  rides  on  Sunday,  or  other- 
wise broke  the  Sunday  laws. 


Within 


Religious  Thought  ar.d  Training  245 

Within  the  meeting-house  he  kept  order  by  beat- 
ing out  dogs,  correcting  unruly  and  noisy  boys,  and 
waking  those  who  slept.  He  sometimes  walked  up 
and  down  the  church  aisles,  carrying  a stick  which 
had  a knob  on  one  end,  and  a dangling  foxtail  on 
the  other,  tapping  the  boys  on  the  head  with  the 
knob  end  of  the  stick,  and  tickling  the  face  of 
sleeping  church  attendants  with  the  foxtail.  Some 
churches  had  tithing-men  until  this  century. 

A Puritanical  regard  of  the  Sabbath  still  lingers  in 
our  New  England  towns.  There  are  many  Chris- 
tian old  gentlemen  still  living  of  whom  such  an 
anecdote  as  this  of  old  Deacon  Davis  of  West- 
borough  might  be  told.  A grandson  walked  to 
church  with  him  one  Sabbath  morning  and  a gray 
squirrel  ran  across  the  road.  The  child,  delighted, 
pointed  out  the  beautiful  little  creature  to  his  grand- 
father. A sharp  twist  of  the  ear  was  the  old  Puri- 
tan’s rejoinder,  and  the  caustic  words  that  “squirrels 
were  not  to  be  spoken  of  on  the  Lord’s  Day.” 

With  all  the  religious  restriction,  and  all  the 
religious  instruction,  with  the  everyday  repression 
of  youth  and  the  special  Sabbath-day  rigidity  of 
laws,  it  is  somewhat  a surprise  to  the  reader  of  the 
original  sources  of  history  to  find  that  girls  some- 
times laughed,  and  boys  behaved  very"  badly  in 
meeting.  The  latter  condition  would  be  more  sur- 
prising 


246  Child  L /e  in  Colonial  Days 

prising  to  us  did  we  not  see  so  plainly  that  the 
method  of  “seating  the  meeting”  in  colonial  days 
was  not  calculated  to  produce  or  maintain  order. 
Boys  were  not  separated  from  each  other  into 
various  pews  in  the  company  of  their  parents  as 
to-day;  they  were  all  huddled  together  in  any  un- 
dignified or  uncomfortable  seats.  In  Salem,  in 
1676,  it  was  ordered  that  all  the  boys  of  the  town 
“sitt  upon  ye  three  paire  of  stairs  in  ye  meeting- 
house ” ; and  two  citizens  were  deputed  to  assist  the 
tithing-man  in  controlling  them  and  watching  them, 
and  if  any  proved  unruly  “to  psent  their  names 
as  the  law  directs.”  Sometimes  they  were  seated 
on  the  pulpit  stairs,  under  the  eyes  of  the  entire 
audience;  more  frequently  in  a “boys  pue”  in  a 
high  gallery  remote  from  all  other  Christians,  the 
“wretched  boys”  were  set  off*  as  though  they  were 
religious  lepers. 

In  Dorchester  the  boys  could  not  keep  still  in 
meeting;  the  selectmen  had  to  appoint  some  “meet 
person  to  inspect  the  boys  in  the  meeting  house  in 
time  of  divine  service.”  These  guardians  had  to 
tarry  at  noon  and  “prevent  disorder”  then.  By 
1776  the  boys  were  so  turbulent,  the  spirit  of 
independence  was  so  rife  and  riotous,  that  six  men 
had  to  be  appointed  to  keep  order,  and  they  had 
authority  to  “give  proper  discipline”  if  necessary. 

It 


Margaret  Graves  Cary,  Fourteen  Years  Old,  1786 


Religious  Thought  and  Training  247 

It  is  not  necessary  to  multiply  examples  of  the 
badness  of  the  boys,  nor  of  the  unsophisticated  art- 
lessness of  their  parents.  Scores  of  old  town  and 
church  records  give  ample  proof  of  the  traits  of 
both  fathers  and  sons.  These  accounts  are  often 
as  amusing  as  they  are  surprising  in  their  hopeless- 
ness. The  natural  remedy  of  the  isolation  of  the 
inventors  of  mischief,  and  separation  of  conspira- 
tors and  quarrellers,  did  not  enter  the  brains  of  our 
simple  old  forefathers  for  over  a century.  Indeed, 
these  “ Devil’s  play-houses,”  as  Dr.  Porter  called 
them,  were  not  entirely  abolished  until  fifty  years 
ago.  The  town  of  Windsor,  Connecti- 
cut, suffered  and  suffered  trom 
“ boys  pews  ” until 
the  year 
1845. 


CHAPTER  XIII 


RELIGIOUS  BOOKS 

Lisping  new  syllables,  zve  scramble  next 
Through  moral  narrative,  or  sacred  text. 

And  learn  with  wonder  how  this  world  began  ; 

IV ho  made,  who  marred,  and  who  has  ransomed  man. 

— Tyrocinium.  fVitliam  Cowper , 1784. 

IT  was  inevitable,  since  the  colonization  of 
America  was  in  the  day  of  Puritanism,  that 
the  first  modern  literature  known  by  Ameri- 
can children  should  be  the  distinctive  literature  ol 
that  sect  and  period.  These  were  religious  emblems, 
controversial  treatises,  records  of  martyrdoms,  cate- 
chismic  dialogues,  and  a few  accounts  of  precociously 
pious  infants  who  had  died.  Thomas  White,  a Puri- 
tan minister,  wrote  thus  : — 

u When  thou  canst  read,  read  no  ballads  and  romances 
and  foolish  books,  but  the  Bible  and  the  Plaine  Man’s 
Pathway  to  Heaven,  a very  plaine  holy  hook  for  you.  Get 
the  Practice  of  Piety,  Mr.  Baxter’s  call  to  the  Unconverted, 
Allen’s  Alarm  to  the  Unconverted,  The  Book  of  Martyrs.” 

248  The 


Religious  Books 


249 


The  two  books  which  he  named  after  the  Bible 
had  the  distinction  of  being  the  only  ones  owned  by 
the  wife  of  John  Bunyan.  The  confiding  Puritan 
child  who  read  The  Plain  Man  s Pathway  to  Heaven , 
under  the  promise  that  it  was  a “ plaine  and  per- 
fite  ” book,  must  have  been  sorely  disappointed. 
But  it  it  wasn’t  plain  it  was  popular.  The  twelfth 
edition  is  dated  1733.  Foxe’s  Book  of  Martyrs  was 
found  in-  many  colonial  homes,  and  was  eagerly  read 
by  many  children.  Neither  this  nor  any  of  the 
books  on  the  Rev.  Mr.  White’s  list  were  properly 
children’s  books. 

A special  book  for  children  was  written  by  a 
Puritan  preacher  whose  sayings  were  very  dull  in 
prose,  and  I am  sure  must  have  been  more  so  in 
verse.  It  was  called,  Old  Mr.  Dod's  Sayings ; com- 
posed in  Verse,  for  the  better  Help  of  Memory ; and 
the  Delightfulness  of  Children  reading  them , and  learn- 
ing them , whereby  they  may  be  the  better  ingrafted  in 
their  memories  and  Understanding.  Cotton  Mather 
also  wrote  Good  Lessons  for  Children , in  Verse. 

Doubtless  the  most  popular  and  most  widely 
read  of  all  children’s  books  in  New  England  was 
one  whose  title-page  runs  thus  : A Token  for  Chil- 
dren, being  an  Exact  Account  of  the  Conversion , Holy 
and  Exemplary  Lives  and  Joyful  Deaths  of  Several 
2 oung  Children,  by  James  Janeway.  To  which  is 

added 


250 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

added  A 'Token  for  the  Children  of  New  England 
or  Some  Examples  of  Children  in  whom  the  Fear  of 
God  was  remarkably  Budding  before  they  died;  in 
several  Parts  of  New  England.  Preserved  and 
Published  for  the  Encouragement  of  Piety  in  other 
Children. 

The  first  portion  of  this  book  was  written  by  an 
English  minister  and  was  as  popular  in  England 
as  in  America.  The  entire  book  with  the  title  as 
given  went  through  many  editions  both  in  England 
and  America,  even  being  reprinted  in  this  century. 
In  spite  of  its  absolute  trustfulness  and  simplicity 
of  belief,  it  is  a sad  commentary  on  the  spiritual 
conditions  of  the  times.  I will  not  give  any  of  the 
accounts  in  full,  for  the  expression  of  religious 
thought  shown  therein  is  so  contrary  to  the  senti- 
ment of  to-day  that  it  would  not  be  pleasing  to 
modern  readers.  The  New  England  portion  was 
written  by  Cotton  Mather,  and  out-Janeways  Jane- 
way. Young  babes  chide  their  parents  for  too  infre- 
quent praying,  and  have  ecstasies  of  delight  when 
they  can  pray  ad  infinitum.  One  child  two  years 
old  was  able  “savingly  to  understand  the  mysteries 
of  Redemption  ” ; another  of  the  same  age  was  “ a 
dear  lover  of  faithful  ministers.”  One  poor  little 
creature  had  “ such  extraordinary  meltings  that  his 
eves  were  red  and  sore  from  weeping  on  his  sins.” 

Anne 


The  Custis  Children,  1760,  circa 


Religious  Books 


251 


Anne  Greenwich,  who  died  when  five  years  old, 
“ discoursed  most  astonishingly  of  great  mysteries  ” ; 
Daniel  Bradley,  who  had  an  “ Impression  and  in- 
quisitiveness of  the  State  of  Souls  after  Death,” 
when  three  years  old ; Elizabeth  Butcher,  who, 
“when  two  and  a half  years  old,  as  she  lay  in  the 
Cradle  would  ask  her  self  the  Question  What  is  my 
corrupt  Nature?  and  would  answer  herself  It  is 
empty  of'  Grace,  bent  unto  Sin,  and  only  to  Sin, 
and  that  Continually,”  were  among  the  distressing 
examples. 

Jonathan  Edwards’  Narratives  of  Conversions  con- 
tained similar  records  of  religious  precocity.  There 
is  a curious  double  light  in  all  these  narratives  : the 
premature  sadness  of  the  children,  who  seem  as  old 
as  original  sin,  is  equalled  by  the  absolute  childish- 
ness of  the  reverend  gentlemen,  Mr.  Janeway,  Mr. 
Mather,  Mr.  Edwards,  who  tell  the  tales.  There 
were  other  similar  collections  of  examples,  — one  ot 
children  in  Siberia,  others  in  Silesia,  and  another  ol 
Pious  Motions  and  Devout  Exercises  of-  Jewish  Chil- 
dren in  Berlin.  Siberia  was  apparently  as  remote  and 
inaccessible  to  Boston  in  those  days  as  the  moon, 
and  the  incredulous  mind  cannot  help  wondering 
who  sent  and  how  were  sent  these  accounts  to  those 
trusting-  Boston  ministers. 

Another  child’s  book,  by  James  Janeway,  was 

The 


2 52 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


' The  Looking  Glass  for  Children.  There  had  been  a 

previous  book  with  nearly  the  same  title.  Jane- 
way’s  book  was  certainly  popular,  perhaps  because 
it  was  in  verse,  and  children’s  poetry  was  very  scanty 
and  rare  in  those  days.  It  was  reprinted  many 
times,  and  parts  appeared  in  selections  and  compila- 
tions until  this  century.  A few  lines  run  thus:  — 

“When  by  Spectators  I behold 
What  Beauty  doth  adorn  me 
Or  in  a glass  when  I behold 

How  sweetly  God  did  form  me. 

Hath  God  such  comeliness  bestowed 
And  on  me  made  to  dwell 
What  pity  such  a pretty  maid 
As  1 should  go  to  Hell.” 

A book  of  similar  title  was  Divine  Blossoms,  a Pros- 
pect or  Looking  Glass  for  Youth. 

The  lack  of  poetry  may  also  account  in  some 
degree  for  the  astonishing  popularity  of  a poem 
which  appeared  in  1662,  written  by  a Puritan 
preacher  named  Michael  Wigglesworth,  and  en- 
titled, The  Day  of  Doom  ; or  a Poetical  description  of 
the  Great  and  Last  Judgement.  This  “epic  of  hell-fire 
and  damnation”  was  reprinted  again  and  again,  and 
was  sold  in  such  large  numbers  that  it  is  safe  to 
assert  that  every  New  England  household,  whose 
members  could  read,  was  familiar  with  it.  It  was 


Religious  Books  253 

printed  as  a broadside,  and  children  committed  it  to 
memory;  teachers  extolled  it  ; ministers  quoted  it. 
Its  horrible  descriptions  ot  hell  and  the  sufferings 
of  the  damned  are  weakened  to  the  modern  mind 
by  the  thought  of  the  presumptuous  complacence 
of  the  author  who  would  dare  to  give  page  after 
page  of  what  he  conceived  the  great  Judge  would 
say  on  the  Day  of  Judgment.  But  of  course  no 
child,  certainly  no  child  of  Puritan  training,  would 
note  either  absurdity  or  impropriety  in  assigning 
such  words,  and  it  is  sad  to  think  what  must  have 
been  the  climax  of  horror  with  which  a sensitive 
child  read  God’s  answer  to  the  plea  for  salvation 
made  by  “reprobate  infants”;  the  terrible  words 
running  on  through  many  stanzas,  and  ending 
thus  : — 

“ Will  you  demand  Grace  at  my  hand, 
and  challenge  what  is  mine  ? 

Will  you  teach  me  whom  to  set  free 
and  thus  my  Grace  confine  ? 

You  sinners  are,  and  such  a share 
as  sinners  may  expect ; 

Such  you  shall  have  ; for  I do  save 
none  but  my  own  Elect. 

st  Yet  to  compare  your  sin  with  their’s 
who  liv’d  a longer  time, 

I do  confess  yours  is  much  less, 
though  every  sin’s  a crime. 


A 


■254  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

A Crime  it  is,  therefore  in  bliss 
you  may  not  hope  to  dwell ; 

But  unto  you  I shall  allow 
the  easiest  room  in  Hell.” 

Thomas  White  wrote  a book  for  children  which 
certainly  comes  under  the  head  of  religious  books, 
though  its  pages  held  also  those  frivolous  lines  “ A 
was  an  archer  who  shot  at  a frog,”  etc.  This  dreary 
volume  was  entitled  a Little  Book  for  Little  Children. 
It  contained  accounts  of  short-lived  and  morbid 
young  Christians,  much  like  those  of  James  Jane- 
way’s  book.  One  child  of  eight  wept  bitter  and 
inconsolable  tears  for  his  sins.  One  wicked  deed 
was  lying.  His  mother  asked  him  whether  he  were 
cold.  He  answered  “Yes”  instead  of  “ Forsooth,” 
and  afterward  doubted  whether  he  really  was  cold 
or  not.  Another  sin  was  whetting  his  knife  on  the 
Sabbath  day.  Poor  Nathaniel  Mather  whittled  on 
the  Lord’s  day  — and  hid  behind  the  door  while 
thus  sinning.  A boy’s  jack-knife  was  a powerful 
force  then  as  now.  This  book  also  had  accounts 
of  the  Christian  martyrs  and  their  tortures.  This 
was  an  English  book,  first  reprinted  in  Boston 
in  1702.  An  edition  of  Pilgrims  Progress  was 
printed  in  Boston  in  1681,  another  in  1706,  and 
an  illustrated  edition  in  1744,  but  I doubt  that 
these  were  the  complete  book.  Many  shortened 

copies 


<2 

2o. 


The  Holy  Bible  Abridged 


Religious  Books 


255 


copies  and  imitations  appeared.  One  was  called 
The  Christian  s Metamorphosis  Unfolded.  Another 
The  Christian  Pilgrim.  Dr.  Neale  edited  it  for 
children,  making,  says  a modern  critic,  “ a most 
impudent  book.”  Bunyan  also  wrote  Divine  Em- 
blems, which  the  young  were  enjoined  to  read,  and 
he  also  “ bowed  his  pen  to  children  ” and  wrote 
Country  Rhimes  for  Children.  For  many  years  no 
copy  of  this  was  known  to  exist,  but  one  was  found 
in  America  in  recent  years,  and  is  now  in  the  Brit- 
ish Museum.  It  is  an  uncouth  mixture  of  reli- 
gious phrases  and  similes  and  very  crude  natural 
history. 

Pilgrim  s Progress  was  the  first  light  reading  of 
Benjamin  Franklin.  Other  books  of  his  boyhood 
were  Plutarch’s  Lives , Defoe’s  Essays  upon  Projects, 
Cotton  Mather’s  Essays  to  do  Good,  and  Burton’s 
Historical  Collections.  Another  patriot,  at  a later 
day  — Abraham  Lincoln  — learning  little  but  the 
primer  at  school,  read  slowly  and  absorbed  into  his 
brain,  his  heart,  and  his  everyday  speech  the  Bible, 
Pilgrim's  Progress,  fEsop’s  Fables  and  Plutarch’s 
Lives , — a good  education,  — to  which  a Life  of 
Washington  added  details  of  local  patriotism. 

Another  book  for  young  people — which  might 
be  termed  a story-book,  though  its  lesson  was 
deemed  deeply  religious  — was  called,  A Small 

Book 


256 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


Book  in  Easy  Verse  Very  Suitable  for  Children , en- 
titled The  Prodigal  Daughter  or  the  Disobedient  Lady 
Reclaimed . It  was  a poem  of  about  a hundred 

stanzas,  relating 
the  story  of 
a very  wilful 
young  woman 
who,  on  being 
locked  up  in  her 
room  by  her 
father  to  check 
her  extrava- 
gance, made  a 
league  with  the 
Devil, attempted 
to  poison  her 
father  and 
mother,  dropped 
dead  apparently 
on  her  wicked- 
ness being  dis- 
covered, was 
carried  to  the 

Illustration  from  Original  Poetry  for  Young  Minds 

grave,  but  re- 
vived just  as  the  sexton  was  about  to  lower  her 
coffin  in  the  ground.  She  recovered,  repented,  re- 
lated her  experiences  with  unction,  and  lived  ever 

after 


Religious  Books 


257 


after  happy.  The  title-page  bears  a picture  of  the 
devil  as  a fine  gentleman  wearing  his  tail  as  a 
sword,  and  having  one  high-topped  cloven-footed 
boot.  This  book  enjoyed  unbounded  popularity 
even  during  the  early  years  of  this  century. 

It  was  similar  in  teaching  to  a chap-book  which 
was  entitled  The  Afflicted  Parents,  or  the  Undutiful 
Child  Punished.  In  this  tale  the  daughter  gave  some 
very  priggish  advice  to  her  wicked  brother,  who 
promptly  knocks  her  down  and  kills  her.  He  is 
captured,  tried,  condemned,  sentenced,  and  at  last 
executed  bv  two  pardoned  highwaymen.  But  upon 
being  cut  down  he  comes  to  life,  pompously  dis- 
courses at  much  length,  and  then  is  executed  a second 
time,  as  a warning  to  all  disobedient  children. 

Death-bed  scenes  continued  to  be  full  of  living 
interest.  The  Good  Child' s Little  Hymnbook  repre- 
sents the  taste  of  the  times.  One  poem  is  on  the 
death  and  burial  of  twins,  and  thus  is  doubly  inter- 
esting. Another  is  on  “ Dying.”  The  child  asks 
whether  he  is  going  to  die  and  “ look  white  and 
awful  and  be  put  in  the  pithole  with  other  dead 
people.”  And  yet  the  preface  runs  : — 

“ Mamma  See  what  a Pretty  Book 
At  Day’s  Pappa  has  bought. 

That  I may  at  the  pictures  look 
And  by  the  words  be  taught.” 


After 


258  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

After  a time  some  attempts  were  made  to  render 
the  Bible  in  a form  specially  for  children’s  reading. 
There  was  a rhymed  adaptation  called  the  Bible  in 
Verse.  This  was  not  the  Bible  versification  of 
Samuel  Wesley,  printed  in  1717,  of  which  he  says 
condescendingly,  “ Some  passages  here  represented 
are  so  barren  of  Circumstances  that  it  was  not  easy 
to  make  them  shine  in  Verse.”  Older  hands  had 
essayed  to  rhyme  the  Bible ; one  was  called  A 
Brief e Somme  of  the  Bible. 

These  Bible  abridgments  were  literally  little 
books,  usually  three  or  four  inches  long,  covered 
with  brown  or  mottled  paper.  One  tiny,  well-worn 
book  of  Bible  stories  was  but  two  inches  long  and 
an  inch  wide.  It  had  two  hundred  and  fifty  pages, 
each  of  about  twenty  words. 

There  was  also  the  famous  Thumb  Bible  printed 
by  the  Boston  book  printers,  Mein  and  Fleming. 
A copy  of  this  may  be  seen  at  the  Lenox  Library 
in  New  York  City.  The  Hieroglyphick  Bible  with 
Emblematick  Figures  was  illustrated  with  five  hun- 
dred tiny  pictures  set  with  the  print,  which  helped 
to  tell  the  story  after  the  manner  of  an  illustrated 
rebus.  Bewick  made  the  cuts  for  the  English 
edition.  Tiny  catechisms  were  widely  printed  and 
sought  after,  and  used  as  gifts  to  good  and  godly 
children.  There  were  also  dull  little  books  of 

parables, 


Religious  Books 


259 


parables,  modelled  on  the  parables  of  the  Bible. 
Those  were  profoundly  religious,  but  were  so  darkly 


fhould  be  alone 


1 will  make  him  an  Help  meet  for  him, 
1 t herefore  he  caufed  a deep  Sleep 

T to  fall  upon  and  took  out 


> one  of  his  with  which  he  made  || 

P 3 Woman,  and  brought  her  unto  the  % 


And  the  I.  ord  God  ford,  it  is. not  good  that  the 
t»ou  Id  be  alone  1 1 will  maxe  an  Help  meet 
nut  Therefore  hecooVd  n deep  Sleep  to  fan  ip  m-' 
■> , -ntd  lobk  oitt  O'tie  of  bt^  Vr'6i,  witt>  which 

r:  >\'j  Woman,  and  brought  her  unto 

ae*  S' 


Page  of  Hieroglyphick  Bible 


and  figuratively  expressed  as  to  be  frequently  entirely 
incomprehensible ; and  they  fully  realized  the  defi- 
nition 


16 o Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

nition  of  a parable  given  by  a child  I know  — “a 
heavenly  story  with  no  earthly  meaning.” 

An  extremely  curious  and  antiquated  religious 
panada  was  entitled  the  History  of  the  Holy  Jesus. 
The  seventh  edition  was  printed  in  New  London 
in  1754.  The  illustrations  in  this  stupid  little  book 
were  more  surprising  than  the  miserable  text.  No 
attempt  was  made  to  represent  Oriental  scenery. 
The  picture  oi  an  earthquake  showed  a group  of 
toy  houses  and  a substantial  church  of  the  type 
oi  the  Old  South  in  perfect  condition,  tipped  over 
and  leaning  solidly  on  each  other.  The  Prodigal 
Son  returned  to  an  English  manor-house  with  lat- 
ticed windows,  and  the  women  wore  high  commodes' 
and  hoop-skirts.  In  the  cut  intended  to  represent 
to  the  inquiring  young  Christian  in  New  England 
the  Adoration  of  the  Magi,  the  wise  men  of  the  East 
appear  in  the  guise  oi  prosperous  British  merchants  ; 
in  cocked  hats,  knee  breeches,  and  full-skirted  coats 
with  great  flapped  pockets,  they  look  wisely  at  the 
star-spotted  heavens,  and  a mammoth  and  extremely 
conventionalized  comet  through  British  telescopes 
mounted  on  tripods.  The  Slaughter  of  the  Inno- 
cents must  have  seemed  painfully  close  at  hand 
when  Yankee  children  looked  at  the  trim  military 
platoons  of  English-clad  infants,  each  waving  an 
English  flag ; while  Herod,  in  a modern  uniform, 

on 


26i 


Religious  Books 

on  a horse  with  modern  trappings,  charged  upon 
them.  Perhaps  some  of  the  fathers  and  mothers 
born  in  England  and  in  the  Church  of  England 
had  a still  more  vivid  realization  of  Herod’s  crime, 
for  it  was  the  custom  in  some  English  parishes  at 
one  time  to  whip  all  the  children  on  Holy  Inno- 
cent’s Day.  As  Gregory  said  : — 

“ It  hath  been  a custom  to  whip  up  the  children  upon 
Innocent’s  Day  morning,  that  the  memorie  of  this  murther 
might  stick  the  closer;  and  in  a moderate  proportion  to  act 
over  the  crueltie  again  in  kind.” 

The  book  was  in  rhyme.  Here  are  a few  of  the 
verses : — 

“ The  Wise  Men  from  the  East  do  come 
Led  by  a Shining  Star. 

And  offer  to  the  new  born  King 
Frankincense,  Gold  and  Myrrh. 

Which  Herod  hears  & wrathful  Grows 
And  now  by  Heavn’s  Decree 
Joseph  and  Mary  and  her  Son 
Do  into  FEgypt  flee. 

The  Bloody  Wretch  enrag’d  to  think 
Christ’s  Death  he  could  not  gain. 

Commands  that  Infants  all  about 
Bethlehem  should  be  slain. 

But  O ! to  hear  the  awful  cries 
Of  Mothers  in  Distress, 

And  Rachel  mourns  for  her  first-born 
Snatch’d  from  her  tender  Breast.” 


The 


2 62  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

The  History  of  the  Holy  Jesus  was  told  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Instructwell  to  Master  Learnwell.  The  book 
contained  also  the  Child's  Body  of  Divinity , and 
some  of  Dr.  Watts’  hymns.  These  Divine  Songs 
for  Children  appear  in  many  forms.  The  Cradle 
Hymn  is  the  one  most  frequently  seen,  and  I 
recently  have  heard  it  extolled  as  “ a perfect  lul- 
laby for  a child.”  A curious  study  it  is,  showing 
how  absolutely  traditional  religious  conception  could 
usurp  the  mind  and  obscure  the  impulses  of  the 
heart.  Its  sweet  and  tender  lines,  which  begin  — 

“ Hush  my  dear,  lie  still  and  slumber. 

Holy  angels  guard  thy  bed,” 

are  soon  contrasted  with  the  vehement  words  which 
tell  of  the  lot  of  the  infant  Jesus;  and  at  the  mother’s 
passionate  expressions  of  “ brutal  creatures,”  “ cursed 
sinners,”  that  “ affront  their  Lord,”  the  child  appar- 
ently cries,  for  the  mother  sings  : — 

“ Soft,  my  child,  I did  not  chide  thee. 

Though  my  song  may  sound  too  hard.” 

In  the  next  stanza,  however,  theological  venom 
again  finds  vent  to  the  poor  wondering  baby:  — 

“ Yet  to  read  the  shameful  story 
How  the  Jews  abused  their  King  — 

How  they  served  the  Lord  of  Glory, 

Makes  me  angry  while  I sing.” 


This 


Religious  Books  263 

This  certainly  seems  an  ill-phrased  and  exciting 
lullaby,  but  is  perhaps  what  might  be 
expected  as  the  notion  of  a sooth- 
ing cradle  hymn  from 
a bigoted  old 
bachelor. 


CHAPTER  XIV 


STORY  AND  PICTURE  BOOKS 

If  we  are  to  consider  that  the  condition  of  the  human  mind  at  any 
particular  juncture  is  worth  studying,  it  is  certainly  of  importance  to 
knozu  on  what  food  its  infancy  is  fed. 

— The  Book  Hunter.  John  Hill  Burton , i86j. 

LOCKE  says  in  his  Thoughts  on  Education 
that  “ the  only  book  I know  of  fit  for 
children  is  yEsop’s  ‘ Fables  ’ and  c Reynard 
the  Fox.’  ” By  this  he  means  the  only  story- 
books. A chap-book,  a cheap,  ill-printed  edition 
of  vEsop’s  Fables , was  read  in  New  England,  but 
I have  found  nothing  to  indicate  that  these  fables 
were  specially  printed  or  bought  for  children,  or 
that  children  were  familiar  with  them. 

There  seem  to  have  been  absolutely  no  books 
for  the  special  delight  of  young  men  and  maids  in 
the  first  years  in  the  new  world,  no  romances  or 
tales  of  adventure  ; nor  were  there  any  in  England. 
One  Richard  Codrington,  a Puritan,  and  a tiresome 
old  bore,  wrote  a book  “ For  the  Instructing  of  the 
Younger  Sort  of  Maids  and  Boarders  at  Schools.” 

264  1 1 


Story  and  Picture  Books 


2 65 


It  is  about  as  void  of  instruction  as  a book  well 
could  be ; and  this  is  his  pleasant  notion  of  a 
“ girl’s  own  book  ” : — 

“To  entertain  young  Gentlewomen  in  their  hours  of 
Recreation  we  shall  commend  unto  them  God’s  Revenge 
against  Murther  and  Artemidorous  his  Interpretation  of 
Dreams.” 

It  isn’t  hard  to  guess  which  one  of  these  two 
was  “taken  out”  most  frequently  from  the  school 
library.  Speculation  about  dreams  was  one  of  the 
few  existing  outlets  to  youthful  imagination,  and 
many  happy  hours  were  spent  in  elaborate  inter- 
pretations. Thus  tired  Nature’s  sweet  restorer, 
balmy  Sleep,  supplied  the  element  of  romance 
which  the  dull  waking  hours  denied,  and  made 
life  worth  living. 

Though  no  great  books  were  written  for  children 
during  all  these  years,  three  of  the  great  books  of 
the  world,  written  with  deep  purpose,  lor  grown 
readers,  were  calmly  appropriated  by  children  with 
a promptness  that  would  seem  to  prove  the  truth 
of  the  assertion  that  children  are  the  most  unerr- 
ing critics  of  a story.  These  books  were  Pilgrim  s 
Progress,  first  published  in  1688;  Robinson  Crusoe , 
in  1714;  and  Gulliver's  Travels,  in  1726.  The 
religious,  political,  and  satirical  purposes  of  these 

books 


266 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


hooks  have  been  wholly  obscured  by  their  warm 
adoption  as  stories.  They  have  been  loved  by 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  English-reading  chil- 
dren, and  translated  into  many  other  languages. 

Hundreds  of  other 

MERRY  TALES.  books,  chiefly  for 

OF  THE  children,  have  been 

Wife  Men  of  GOTHAM,  written,  that  have 

been  inspired  by  or 

modelled  on  these 
books  — thus  the 
debt  of  children  to 
them  is  multiplied. 

The  history  of 
children’s  story- 
books in  both  Eng- 
land and  America 
begins  with  the  life 
of  John  Newbery, 
the  English  pub- 
lisher, who  settled 
in  London  in  1 744. 
H is  life  and  his 


Printed  and  Sold  in  London, 

Title-page  of  Merry  Tales 


work  have  been  told  at  length  by  Mr.  Charles  Welsh 
in  the  book  entitled  A Book  Seller  of  the  Last  Century. 
Newbery  was  the  first  English  bookseller  who  made 
any  extended  attempt  to  publish  books  especially 

for 


Story  and  Picture  Books  267 

for  children’s  reading.  The  text  of  these  hooks  was 
written  by  himself,  and  by  various  English  authors, 
among  them  no  less  a genius  than  Oliver  Goldsmith. 
H is  books  were  promptly  exported  to  America, 

welcomed  as  in 
England.  The 
meagre  advertise- 
ments of  colonial 
newspapers  contain 
his  lists.  During 
Newbery’s  active 
career  as  a pub- 
lisher— and  activ- 
ity was  his  distin- 
guishing character- 
istic— he  published 
over  two  hundred 
books  for  children. 

One  of  the  earliest 
was  announced  in 
1744  as  “a  pretty  little  pocket  book.  ’ It  contained 
the  story  of  Jack  the  Giant  Killer. 

An  amusing,  albeit  thrifty,  intermezzo  of  all  chil- 
dren’s books  was  the  publisher’s  persistent  adver- 
tisement of  his  other  juvenile  literary  wares.  If  a 

generous 


where  they  were 
doubtless  as  eagerly 


TALE  Iir. 

ON  a time  the  men  of  Gotham  fail 
would  «have  pinned  the  cuckoo, 
that  (he  might  fing  all  the  year  ; all  in 
the  midft  of  the  town  they  had  a hedge 
made  in  a round  compafs,  and  got  a cuc- 


bo,o,  and  put  her  into  it,  and  (aid,  Sing 
ojere  and  you  fha!)  lack  neither  meat  nor 
drink  all  the  yeaT.  The  Cuckoo  when 
the  fee  herfelf  eneompafled  within  the 
hedge,  flew  away.  A vengeance  on 
her  (aid  the  Wife  Men,  we  made  not  teb 
hedge  high  enough. 

Page  of  Merry  Tales  of  Wise  Men  of  Gotham 


268 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


generous  godfather  is  introduced,  he  is  at  once 
importuned  to  buy  another  of  good  Mr.  Newbery 
the  printer’s  books.  When  Tommy  Truelove  is  to 
have  his  reward  of  virtue  and  industry,  he  implores 
that  it  may  be  a little  book  sold  at  the  Book  Shop 
over  against  Aldermary  Churchyard,  Bow  Lane. 
If  a kind  mamma  sets  out  to  “learn  Jenny  June 
to  read,”  she  does  it  with  one  of  Marshall’s  “ Uni- 
versal Battledores,  so  beloved  of  young  masters  and 
misses.”  The  old-time  reader  was  never  permitted 
to  forget  for  over  a page  that  the  good,  kind, 
thoughtful  gentleman  who  printed  this  book  had 
plenty  of  others  to  sell. 

Newbery  was  the  most  ingenious  of  these  adver- 
tisers. This  is  an  example  of  one  of  his  newspaper 
eye-catchers  printed  in  175 5 : — 

“This  day  was  published  Nurse  Truelove’s  New  Years 
Gift  or  the  book  of  books  for  children,  adorned  with  cuts, 
and  designed  as  a present  for  every  little  boy  who  would 
become  a great  man,  and  ride  upon  a fine  horse;  and  to 
every  little  girl  who  would  become  a great  woman  and  ride 
in  a lord-mayor’s  gilt  coach.  Printed  for  the  author  who  has 
ordered  these  books  to  be  given  gratis  to  all  boys  and  girls, 
at  the  Bible  and  Sun  in  St.  Paul’s  Churchyard,  they  pay- 
ing for  the  binding  which  is  only  twopence  for  each  book.” 

Other  books  were  sold  “with  a Ball  and  Pin- 
cushion, the  use  of  which  will  infallibly  make 

Tommy 


Story  and  Picture  Books 


269 


Tommy  a good  boy,  and  Polly  a good  girl.”  The 
juvenile  characters  in  the  books  are  always  turning 
aside  to  read  or  buy  some  one  ot  Mr.  Newbery’s 
little  books;  or  pulling  one  of  Mr.  Newbery’s 
“ nice  gilded  library  ” out  of  their  pockets,  or  taking 
Dr.  James’  Fever  Powder,  which  was  also  one  of 
Mr.  Newbery’s  popular  specialities. 

The  Revolutionary  patriot  and  printer,  Isaiah 
Thomas,  was  said  to  be  very  “ ingenious  in  spirit.-” 
I do  not  know  the  exact  significance  of  this  term 
unless  it  means  that  he  was  a wide-awake  publisher, 
which  he  certainly  was.  He  was  a bright,  stirring 
man  of  quick  wit  and  active  intelligence  in  all  things. 
He  brought  out  just  alter  the  Revolution  many 
little  books  for  children.  Few  of  them  have  any 
pretence  of  originality,  even  in  a single  page.  Nearly 
all  are  wholesale  reprints  of  various  English  books 
for  children,  chiefly  those  of  John  Newbery. 

I don’t  know  what  made  Thomas  so  ready  to 
catch  up  the  reprinting  of  these  children’s  books  in 
advance  of  other  American  printers.  Perhaps  his 
attention  was  led  to  it  by  the  fact  that  his  “ Pren- 
tice’s Token,”  or  specimen  of  his  work  when  he 
was  a printer’s  ’prentice,  was  one  of  those  little 
books.  It  was  issued  in  1761  by  A.  Barclay  in 
Cornhill,  Boston,  and  a copy  now  in  the  possession 
of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society  at  Worcester, 

Massachusetts, 


270 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

Massachusetts,  is  indorsed  in  Thomas’  own  hand- 
writing as  being  by  his  ’prentice  hand.  The  book  is 
entitled,  Tom  Thumbs  Play  Book.  To  Teach  Children 
their  letters  as  soon  as  they  can  speak.  It  contains 
the  old  rhyme,  “ A,  Apple  pye,  B,  bit  it,  C,  cut  it,” 
etc.  Then  came  the  rhymes  beginning,  “ A,  was  an 
Archer  and  shot  at  a frog ; ” also  a short  catechism. 

Isaiah  Thomas  lived  in  Worcester,  printed  these 
books  there,  and  founded  there  the  American 
Antiquarian  Society  ; in  the  library  of  that  society 
now  in  that  city  may  be  seen  copies  of  nearly  all 
these  children’s  books  which  he  reprinted  ; and  a 
collection  of  pretty,  quaint  little  volumes  they  are. 

It  is  the  universal  decision  of  the  special  students 
of  juvenile  literature,  that  Goldsmith  wrote  Goody 
Two  Shoes.  Washington  Irving  thought  the  title- 
page  plainly  “ bore  the  stamp  of  the  sly  and  playful 
humour”  of  the  author  of  the  Vicar  of  Wakefield. 
It  reads  thus  : — 

“The  History  of  Little  Goody  Two  Shoes,  otherwise 
called  Mrs.  Margery  Two  Shoes,  with  the  means  by  which 
she  acquired  her  Learning  and  Wisdom,  and  in  consequence 
thereof,  her  Estate ; set  forth  at  large  for  the  Benefit  of 
those 

“ Who  from  a state  of  Rags  and  Care 
And  having  Shoes  but  half  a pair, 

Their  fortune  and  their  fame  would  fix 
And  gallop  in  a Coach  and  Six. 


“ See 


The  Renowned  History  of  Goody  Two  Shoes 


Story  and  Picture  Books 


271 

“See  the  original  manuscript  in  the  Vatican  at  Rome, 
and  the  Cuts  by  Michael  Angelo.  Illustrated  by  the  Com- 
ments of  our  great  modern  Critics.  Price  Sixpence.” 

Copies  of  Goody  Two  Shoes  are  seldom  seen  for 
sale  to-dav,  and  many  copies  are  expurgated.  The 
following  quaint  chapter  is  the  one  chosen  for  exci- 
sion, because  our  children  must  never  hear  the  word 
ghost. 

“ HOW  THE  WHOLE  PARISH  WAS  FRIGHTENED 

“Who  does  not  know  Lady  Ducklington,  or  who  does 
not  know  that  she  was  buried  at  this  parish  church  ? 

“Well,  I never  saw  so  grand  a funeral  in  all  my  life  ; but 
the  money  they  squandered  away  would  have  been  better 
laid  out  in  little  books  for  children,  or  in  meat,  drink,  and 
clothes  for  the  poor.  This  is  a fine  hearse  indeed,  and  the 
nodding  plumes  on  the  horses  look  very  grand  ; but  what 
end  does  that  answer,  otherwise  than  to  display  the  pride 
of  the  living,  or  the  vanity  of  the  dead.  Fie  upon  such 
folly,  say  I,  and  heaven  grant  that  those  who  want  more 
sense  may  have  it. 

“ But  all  the  country  round  came  to  see  the  burying,  and 
it  was  late  before  the  corpse  was  interred.  After  which, 
in  the  night,  or  rather  about  four  o’clock  in  the  morning, 
the  bells  were  heard  to  jingle  in  the  steeple,  which  fright- 
ened the  people  prodigiously,  who  all  thought  it  was  Lady 
Ducklington’s  ghost  dancing  among  the  bell  ropes.  The 

people 


27 '2 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


people  flocked  to  Will  Dobbins,  tbe  Clerk,  and  wanted  him 
to  go  and  see  what  it  was;  but  William  said  he  was  sure 
it  was  a ghost,  and  that  he  would  not  offer  to  open  the 
door.  At  length  Mr.  Long,  the  rector,  hearing  such  an 
uproar  in  the  village,  went  to  the  clerk  to  know  why  he  did 
not  go  into  the  church  and  see  who  was  there.  I go,  says 
William,  why  the  ghost  would  frighten  me  out  of  my  wits. 
Mrs.  Dobbins,  too,  cried,  and  laying  hold  on  her  husband 
said  he  should  not  be  eat  up  by  the  ghost.  A ghost,  you 
blockheads,  says  Mr.  Long  in  a pet,  did  either  of  you  ever 
see  a ghost,  or  know  anybody  that  did  ? Yes,  says  the 
clerk,  my  father  did  once  in  the  shape  of  a windmill,  and 
it  walked  all  round  the  church  in  a white  sheet,  with  jack 
boots  on,  and  had  a gun  by  its  side  instead  of  a sword.  A 
fine  picture  of  a ghost  truly,  says  Mr.  Long,  give  me  the 
key  of  the  church,  you  monkey;  for  I tell  you  there  is 
no  such  thing  now,  whatever  may  have  been  formerly. 
Then  taking  the  key  he  went  to  the  church,  all  the 
people  following  him.  As  soon  as  he  opened  the  door 
what  sort  of  a ghost  do  you  think  appeared  ? Why  little 
Twoshoes,  who  being  wearv,  had  fallen  asleep  in  one 
of  the  pews  during  the  funeral  service  and  was  shut  in 
all  night.  She  immediately  asked  Mr.  Long’s  pardon 
for  the  trouble  she  had  given  him,  told  him  she  had  been 
locked  into  the  church,  and  said  she  should  not  have 
rung  the  bells,  but  that  she  was  very  cold,  and  hearing 
Farmer  Boult’s  man  go  whistling  by  with  his  horses,  she 
was  in  hopes  he  would  have  went  to  the  Clerk  for  the 
key  to  let  her  out.” 


It 


Story  and  Picture  Books 


27  3 


It  would  seem  that  even  an  advanced  pedagogist 
and  child  culturist  might  forgive  this  delightful 
ghost  — like  a windmill  with  jack-boots  and  a gun, 
just  as  a modern  grammarian  must  forgive  the  verb 
“would  have  went”  from  little  Two  Shoes,  who, 
as  Mr.  Charles  Welsh  says,  “really  ought  to  have 
known  better.” 

The  first  Worcester  edition  of  Goody  Two  Shoes 
was  printed  in  1787,  with  some  alterations  suited 
to  time  and  place.  Margery  sings  “ the  Cuzzes 
Chorus  which  may  be  found  in  the  Pretty  Little 
Pocket  Book  of  Mr.  Thomas,”  etc.,  and  when  she 
grows  up  she  is  made  a teacher  in  Mrs.  Williams’ 
“ College,”  which  is  described  in  Nurse  Truelove’s 
American  books. 

It  wili  doubtless  be  a surprise  to  many  that 
Tommy  Trip's  History  of  Beasts  and  Birds , etc.,  was 
written  by  Goldsmith.  This  little  book  opens  with 
an  account  of  Tommy  and  his  dog  Jowler,  who 
serves  Tommy  for  a horse. 

“ When  Tommy  has  a mind  to  ride,  he  pulls  a little 
bridle  out  of  his  pocket,  whips  it  upon  honest  Jowler,  and 
away  he  gallops  tantwivy.  As  he  rides  through  the  town  he 
frequently  stops  at  the  doors  to  know  how  the  good  children 
do  within,  and  if  they  are  good  and  learn  their  books,  he 
then  leaves  an  apple,  an  orange  or  a plumb-cake  at  the 
door,  and  away  he  gallops  again  tantwivy  tantwivy.” 


T 


As 


274  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

As  a specimen  of  Tommy’s  literary  skill  he  gives 
the  lines  beginning  : — 

“Three  children  sliding  on  the  ice 
Upon  a summer’s  day,”  etc. 

The  description  of  animals  are  such  as  would 
be  expected  from  the  author  of  Animated  Nature, 

an  amusing  medley  of 
truth  and  tradition. 

The  name  Tommy 
Trip  seems  to  have 
been  deemed  a taking 
one  in  juvenile  litera- 
ture, and  is  found  in 
many  books  for  chil- 
dren, both  in  the  titles 
and  as  the  name  of 
ascribed  author.  It  was 
used  until  this  century. 
The  title-page  of  A 
New  Lottery  Book  by 
- Tommy  Trip  is  here 
shown.  The  manner 
of  using  this  little  Lottery  Book  is  thus  explained  : — 

“ As  soon  as  the  child  can  speak  let  him  stick  a pin 
through  the  page  by  the  side  of  the  letter  you  wish  to  teach 
him.  Turn  the  page  every  time  and  explain  the  letter  by 

which 


A NEW 

LOTTERY  BOOK, 

ox 

A Plan  Entirety  New ; 

Designed  to  allure  Lillie  Ones  into  & 
Knowledge  of  tlieir  Letters,  &tc.  by 
way  of  Diversion. 

BY  TOMMY  TRIP, 

A Lover  of  Children. 


EDINBURGH 

Printed  and  Sold  Wholesale, 

BY  CAW  AND  ELDER,  HICH  STREET- 

1819 

Price  Twopence 

Title-page  of  A New  Lottery  Book 


Story  and  Picture  Books  275 

which  means  the  child’s  mind  will  be  so  fixed  upon  the 
letter  that  he  will  get  a perfect  idea  of  it,  and  will  not*  be 
liable  to  mistake  it  for  any  other.  Then  show  him  the 
picture  opposite  the  letter  and  make  him  read  the  name  of.” 

The  antique  mind  seems  to  have  found  even  in 
Biblical  days  a vast  satisfaction  in  riddles.  Quin- 
tilian said  the  making  and  study  of  riddles  strength- 
ened the  reflective  faculties. 

Old-time  jest-books  called  Guess  Books  were 
deemed  proper  reading  for  children,  such  as  Joe 
Miller  s and  Merry  Tales  of  the  Wise  Men  of 
Gotham ; very  stale  and  dull  were  the  jests.  The 
Puzzling  Cap  was  a popular  one;  also  The  Sphinx 
or  Allegorical  Lozenges.  Others  were  Guess  Again , 
and  one  entitled  Food  for  the  Mind,  which  bore 
these  lines  on  the  title-page  : — 

“ Who  Riddles  Tells  and  Many  Tales, 

O’er  Nutbrown  Cakes  and  Mugs  of  Ale.”  TT 

— Homer. 

Nurse  Truelove  was  a popular  character  in 
these  books,  and  a popular  story  was  Nurse  True 
Love's  New  Year  Gift,  designed  as  a present  to 
every  little  Boy  who  would  become  a great  Man, 
and  ride  upon  a fine  Horse,  and  to  every  little  Girl 
who  would  become  a fine  W oman  and  ride  in  a Gov- 
ernour  s Coach ; But  Turn  over  the  Leaf  and  see 
More  of  the  Matter.  This  was  originally  an  Eng- 
lish 


276 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


24  A New 


li 

Jj 

Ii 

Jj 

IX  Jay.  9 

Kk 

Kk 

X Key.  10 

Lottery  Book.  25 


Was  a Jay, 

that  prattles  and  toys. 


KWas  a Key, 

thatlock’d  upbad  boys. 


Two  Pages  of  A New  Lottery  Book 


lish  book,  one  of  Newbery’s,  as  shown  by  his  adver- 
tisement already  quoted.  Thomas  Americanized 
the  Lord  Mayor’s  coach  into  a Governor’s  coach, 
but  he  carried  out  to  the  fullest  extent  the  English 
publishers’  mode  of  advertising.  The  sub-title  of 
the  book  was  History  of  Mistress  Williams , and  her 
Plumb  Cake ; With  a Word  or  Two  Concerning  Prece- 
dency and  Trade. 

w Mrs.  Williams  when  I first  became  acquainted  with 
her  was  a Widow  Gentlewoman  who  kept  a little  College 
in  a Country  Town  for  the  Instruction  of  Young  Gentle- 


men 


Story  and  Picture  Books 


277 


men  and  Ladies  in  the  Science  of  A,  B,  C.  The  Books  she 
put  into  the  hands  of  her  Pupils  were,  1st,  The  Christmas 
Box.  2nd,  The  Father’s  Gift.  3rd,  Mr.  Perry’s  Excellent 
Spelling  Book.  4th,  The  Brother’s  Gift.  5th,  The  Sister’s 
Gift.  6th,  The  Infant  Tutor.  7th,  The  Pretty  Little 
Pocket  Book.  8th,  The  Pretty  Plaything.  9th,  Tommy 
Trip’s  History  of  Birds  and  Beasts.  And  when  their  minds 
were  so  enlarged  as  to  be  capable  of  other  entertainments 
she  recommended  to  Them  the  Lilliputian  Magazine  and 
other  Books  that  are  sold  by  Mr.  Isaiah  Thomas  at  his 
Book  Store  near  the  Court  House  in  Worcester,  &c.,  &c.” 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  word  college  is  em- 
ployed in  its  old-time  meaning  of  school ; but  I am 
not  sure  that  Thomas  used  it  innocently.  For  in 
the  following  pages  the  text  compares  Mrs.  Williams 
to  “any  other  old  Lady  in  the  European  Univer- 
sities.” The  Christmas  Box  referred  to  has  a decided 
American  flavor.  It  was  printed  in  1789  and  is 
entitled  Nurse  True  Love' s Christmas  Box  or  a Golden 
Plaything  for  Children.  It  gives  the  history  of  one 
Master  Friendly,  and  is  specially  forced  in  style. 
Here  are  two  sentences  : — 

“ He  learned  so  fast,  Dear  me  ! it  did  my  heart  good  to 
hear  him  talk  and  read.  Why!  he  got  all  the  little  books 
by  rote  that  are  sold  by  Mr.  Thomas  in  Worcester,  when 
he  was  but  a very  little  boy.  Then  he  never  missed  church. 
Ah  ! he  was  a charming  boy. 


27 8 Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

“ He  is  chosen  Congressman  already  and  yet  he  is  not 
puffed  up.  Well,  I saw  him  seated  in  a Chair  when  he 
was  chosen  Congressman,  and  he  looked  — he  looked  — I 


Frontispiece  of  Be  Merry  and  Wise 

do  not  know  what  he  looked  like,  but  everybody  was  in  love 
with  him.” 

Phis  latter  sentence  is  accompanied  by  a cut  of 
Congressman  Friendly,  imbecile  in  countenance, 

seated 


Story  and  Picture  Books 


279 


seated  in  a chair  fixed  on  two  handles,  and  borne 
aloft  by  four  footmen  in  full  livery.  This  picture 
had  evidently  seen  service  as  “ a chairing  ” in  some 
English  book.  When  we  think  what  the  Congress- 
men ot  that  day  were,  — earnest,  simple-hearted 
patriots,  and  that  Thomas  knew  them  well,  — it 
seems  strange  that  he  could  have  given  such  stuff 
to  American  children.  On  the  inside  of  the  cover 
are  printed  these  lines:  — 

“ Come  hither,  little  Lady  fair. 

And  you  shall  ride  & take  the  Air. 

But  first  of  all  pray  let  me  know 
If  you  can  say  your  criss-cross  row. 

For  none  should  e’er  in  coaches  be. 

Unless  they  know  their  A,  B,  C.” 

It  may  interest  children  to  read  a short  story 
from  one  of  these  little  volumes  to  see  the  sort 
of  thing  children  had  to  amuse  them  a hundred 
years  ago.  This  is  from  a book  called  The  Father  s 
Gift,  or  How  to  be  IVise  and  Happy. 

“ There  were  two  little  Boys  and  Girls,  the  Children  of 
a fine  Lady  and  Gentleman  who  loved  them  dearly.  They 
were  all  so  good  and  loved  one  another  so  well  that  every 
Body  who  saw  them  talked  of  them  with  Admiration  far 
and  near.  They  would  part  with  any  Thing  to  each  other, 
loved  the  Poor,  spoke  kindly  to  Servants,  did  every  Thing 
they  were  bid  to  do,  were  not  proud,  knew  no  Strife,  but 

who 


i8o 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


who  should  learn  their  Books  best,  and  be  the  prettiest 
Scholar.  T he  Servants  loved  them,  and  would  do  any 
Thing  they  desired.  They  were  not  proud  of  fine  Clothes, 
their  Heads  never  ran  on  their  Playthings  when  they  should 
mind  their  Books.  They  said  Grace  before  they  ate,  and 
Prayer  before  going  to  bed  and  as  soon  as  they  rose.  They 
were  always  clean  and  neat,  would  not  tell  a Pfib  for  the 
World,  and  were  above  doing  any  Thing  that  required  one. 
God  blessed  them  more  and  more,  and  their  Papa,  Mama, 
Uncles,  Aunts  and  Cousins  for  their  Sakes.  They  were  a 
happy  Family,  no  one  idle;  all  prettily  employed,  the  little 
Masters  at  their  Books,  the  little  Misses  at  their  Needles. 
At  their  Play  hours  they  were  never  noisy,  mischievous  or 
quarrelsome.  No  such  word  was  ever  heard  from  their 
Mouths  as  “Why  mayn’t  I have  this  or  that  as  well  as 
Betty  or  Bobby.”  Or  “ Why  should  Sally  have  this  or 
that  any  more  than  I;”  but  it  was  always  “as  Mama 
pleases,  she  knows  best,”  with  a Bow  and  a Smile,  without 
Surliness  to  be  seen  on  their  Brow.  They  grew  up,  the 
Masters  became  fine  Scholars  and  fine  Gentlemen  and  were 
honoured  ; the  Misses  fine  Ladies  and  fine  Housewives. 
Th  is  Gentleman  sought  to  Marry  one  of  the  Misses,  and 
that  Gentleman  the  Other.  Happy  was  he  that  could  be 
admitted  into  their  Company.  I 'hey  had  nothing  to  do 

but  to  pick  and  choose  the  best  Matches  in  the  Country, 
while  the  greatest  Ladies  for  Birth  and  most  remarkable  for 
Virtue  thought  themselves  honoured  by  the  Addresses  of 
the  two  Brothers.  They  all  married  and  made  good  Papas 
and  Mamas,  and  so  the  blessing  goes  round.” 


The 


Story  and  Picture  Books 


281 


The  Brother  s Gift,  or  the  Naughty  Girl  Reformer!, 

of  which  the  third  Worcester  edition  was  printed  in 
1791,  bore  these  lines  as  a motto  : — 

“ Ye  Misses,  Shun  the  Coxcomb  of  the  Mall, 

The  Masquerade,  the  Rout,  the  Midnight  Ball  ; 

In  lieu  of  these  more  useful  arts  pursue. 

And  as  you’re  fair,  be  wise  and  virtuous  too.” 

Though  useful  arts  were  inculcated  by  this  book, 
the  reward  of  virtue  to  the  reformed  girl  was  a fine 
new  pair  of  stays,  which  are  duly  pictured. 

Another  of  Newbery’s  beloved  books  was  The  His- 
tory of  Tommy  Careless , or  the  Misfortunes  of  a Week. 
On  Monday  Tommy  fell  in  the  water,  spoiled  his 
coat,  and  was  sent  to  bed.  On  Tuesday  he  lost  his 
kite  and  ended  the  day  in  bed.  On  Wednesday  he 
fell  from  the  apple  tree,  and  again  was  put  in  bed. 
Thursday  the  maid  gave  him  two  old  pewter  spoons  ; 
he  made  some  dump-moulds,  and  in  casting  his 
dumps  scalded  his  fingers,  and  as  ever  was  put  in 
retirement.  On  Friday  he  killed  the  canary  bird  — 
and  to  bed  again.  On  Saturday  he  managed  to 
incite  Dobbin  to  kick  the  house  dog  and  kill  him  ; 
then  he  caught  his  own  fingers  in  a trap,  and  ended 
the  week  in  bed  as  he  began  it. 

When  we  think  of  the  vast  number  of  these  books, 
it  seems  strange  that  so  few  have  survived.  The 
penny  books  were  too  valueless  to  be  saved.  Some- 
times 


282 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  D 


ays 

times  we  find  one  among  abandoned  or  discarded 
piles  or  bundles  of  books.  It  has  been  the  fate, 
however,  of  most  children’s  books  to  be  destroyed 


Title-page  of  Be  Meryy  and  Wise 


by  children.  With  coarse,  time-browned  paper, 
poor  type,  and  torn,  worn  leaves,  they  are  not  very 
attractive.  Open  one  at  random.  Ten  to  one  you 
have  before  you  the  page  upon  which  centres  the 

interest 


Story  and  Picture  Books 


283 


interest  of  the  book,  its  climax,  its  adventure,  or  its 
high  wit.  That  page  was  a favorite.  Many  times 
you  will  find  crude  attempts  at  amateur  coloring  of 
the  prints. 

In  these  books  is  found  an  entirely  different  code 
from  that  inculcated  by  modern  books  or  taught  by 
earlier  books.  The  first  books  for  children  simply 
exhorted  goodness,  giving  no  reasons,  but  command- 
ing obedience  and  virtue.  The  books  of  the  Puri- 
tan epoch  taught  children  to  be  good  for  fear  of  hell. 
This  succeeding  school  instructed  them  to  be  good 
because  it  was  profitable.  All  the  advice  is  frankly 
politic  ; much  is  of  mercenary  mould.  Children  are 
instructed  to  do  aright,  not  because  they  should, 
but  because  they  will  benefit  thereby — and  profit  is 
given  the  most  worldly  guise,  such  as  riding  in  a 
coach,  having  a purse  full  of  gold,  wearing  silks 
and  satins,  becoming  Lord  Mayor,  or  most  exalted 
station  of  all,  “a  proud  Sheriff.”  As  chief  officer 
of  the  Crown,  the  old-time  sheriff  of  each  English 
county  was  superior  in  rank  to  every  nobleman 
in  the  county.  The  diarist  Evelyn  tells  that  his 
father  when  sheriff  had  a hundred  and  fifty  ser- 
vants in  livery,  and  many  gentleman  attendants. 
Punishment,  the  abhorrence  of  parents,  and  evil 
results  fall  upon  children  not  so  fiercely  for  lying, 
stealing,  treachery,  or  cruelty  as  they  do  for  soil- 
ing 


284 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


mg  their  clothes,  falling  into  the  water,  tumbling 
off  walls,  breaking  windows  or  china,  and  a score 

of  other  actions 


COBWEBS  TO  CATCH  FLIES 


52 


In  another  part  of  the  fair  the  boys  faw  fome 
children  toiled  about  thus. 


They  were  tinging  merrily  the  old  nurfe’s 
dit.y. 

“ Now  we  go  up,  up,  up, 

41  Now  we  go  down,  down,  down  j 
“Now  we  go  backward  and  forward, 

41  Now  we  go  round,  round,  round.” 

Page  from  Cobwebs  to  Catch  Flies 


which  are  the  re- 
sult of  careless- 
ness, clumsiness, 
or  indifference, 
rather  than  of 
vicious  ness. 

These  books 
would  educate 
(had  they  been 
forcible  enough 
to  be  of  pro- 
found influence) 
generations  of 
trucklers,  time 
servers,  and 
money  lovers. 
The  natural  in- 
clination and  the 
diversitv  of  in- 


clination of  children  made  them  rise  above  these 
instructions. 

It  was  the  constant  effort  of  the  artists,  authors, 
and  teachers  of  olden  times  to  imbue  youth  with 
the  notion  that  no  harm  could  possibly  come  to  the 

good 


Story  and  Picture  Books 


285 


good  — unless  early  death  could  be  counted  an  evil. 
Children  were  taught  that  virtue  and  each  good 
action  was  ever,  immediately,  and  conspicuously 
rewarded.  The  pictures  repeated  and  emphasized 
the  didactic  teachings  ; and  morality,  industry,  and 
good  intentions -were  made  to  triumph  over  things 
animate  and  inanimate.  That  the  old  illustrations 
were  a delight  to  children  cannot  be  doubted  ; they 
were  so  easily  comprehended.  The  bad  boys  ot 
the  story  always  bore  a miserable  countenance  and 
figure,  and  the  good  boys  were  smugly  prosperous. 
The  prim  girls  are  shown  the  beloved  of  all,  and 
the  tomboys  equally  the  misery  and  embarrassment. 
All  this  is  lacking  in  modern  picture  books,  which 
so  truly  represent  real  life  and  things  that  the 
naughty  boy  is  not  blazoned  at  first  glance  as  a 
different  being  from  the  pious  delight. 

I am  inclined  to  believe  that  the  old-time  gro- 
tesqueness was  more  amusing  and  impressive  to 
children  than  modern  realism  ; that  there  was  a 
stronger  association  of  ideas  with  the  emphasis  of 
disproportion  ; the  absurdities  and  anachronisms  of 
scenery  and  costume  were  unnoted  by  the  juvenile 
reader  because  he  knew  no  better. 

In  the  children’s  books  which  I have  examined, 
the  colored  illustrations  are  all  of  dates  later  than 
1 800  (when  dated  at  all).  Mr,  Andrew  W.  Tuer, 

in 


286 


C h i Id  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


in  the  preface  to  his  most  interesting  collection 
entitled  Pages  and  Pictures  from  Forgotten  Children  s 
Books , says  that  the  coloring  was  done  by  children 
in  their  teens  who  worked  with  great  celerity. 
Each  child  had  a single  pan  of  water-color,  a 


“William  and  Amelia,"  from  The  Looking  Glass  for  the  Mind 


brush,  a properly  colored  guide,  and  a pile  of 
printed  sheets.  One  child  painted  in  all  the  red 
required  by  the  copy,  another  the  green,  another 
the  blue,  and  so  on  till  the  coloring  was  finished. 

There  was  one  book  which  children  loved,  that 
every  little  child  loves  to-day  — Mother  Goose' s 
Melodies.  Attempts  have  been  made  to  show  that 

the 


Story  and  Picture  Books 


287 


the  name  and  collection  were  both  American  ; that 
the  former  referred  to  one  Mrs.  Goose  or  Vergoose, 
a Boston  goodwife.  The  name  Mother  Goose  is 
believed  by  most  folk  to  be  of  French,  not  of  Eng- 
lish or  American  origin.  A collection  of  nurs- 
ery rhymes  was  printed  for  John  Newbery  about 
1760,  under  the  popular  name  Mother  Goose's 
Melodies ; about  1785  Isaiah  Thomas  issued  at 
Worcester,  Massachusetts,  an  edition  of  Mother 
Goose's  Melodies  with  the  songs  from  Shakespeare, 
and  certainly  this  must  have  been  an  oasis  in  the 
desert  of  dull  books  for  New  England  children. 

There  is  no  pretence  in  this  edition  of  Thomas’ 
that  the  book  had  any  American  origin ; it  is 
said  to  be  a collection  of  rhvmes  by  “ old  British 
nurses”;  and  such  it  really  was.  Elalliwell  says 
many  of  these  nursery  rhymes  are  fragments  of 
old  ballads.  Mr.  Whitmore  deems  the  great  pop- 
ularity of  “ Mother  Goose  ” due  to  the  Boston 
editions  issued  in  large  numbers  from  1824  to 
i860. 

I he  preface  to  the  Worcester  edition  of  1785 
circa  is  said  to  be  written  by  a very  great  writer  of 
very  little  books.  Could  this  have  been  Oliver 
Goldsmith?  Irving,  in  his  Life  of  Goldsmith , 
refers  to  the  poet’s  love  of  catches  and  simple 
melodies,  and  tells  of  his  singing  “ his  favorite 

song 


a 8 8 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


song  about  An  old  woman  tossed  in  a blanket 
seventeen  times  as  high  as  the  moon.”  A Miss 
Hawkins  boasted  late  in  lite  that  Goldsmith  taught 
her  to  play  Jack  and  Jill  with  bits  of  paper  on  his 
fingers  just  as  we  show  the  trick  to  children  to-day. 
Included  in  these  melodies  are  the  verses  “Three 
children  sliding  on  the  ice,”  which  we  know  were 
written  by  Goldsmith.  Here  is  an  example  of  one 
of  the  melodies  and  its  note:  — 

“Trip  upon  Trenchers 
Dance  upon  Dishes 

My  mother  sent  me  for  some  Barm,  some  Barm. 

She  bade  me  tread  Lightly 
And  leave  again  Quickly, 

For  fear  the  Young  Men  should  do  me  some  Harm. 

Yet  ! don’t  you  see  ? 

What  naughty  tricks  they  put  upon  me  ! 

They  broke  my  Pitcher 
And  spilt  my  Water 
And  huffed  my  Mother 
And  chid  her  Daughter, 

And  kiss’d  my  Sister  instead  of  me. 

“ What  a Succession  of  Misfortunes  befell  this  poor  Girl  f 
But  the  last  Circumstance  was  the  most  affecting  and  might  have 
proved  fatal.” 

— Winslow’s  View  of  Britain. 

According  to  the  notion  of  humor  of  the  day, 
the  notion  of  Goldsmith,  or  some  other  book-hack- 

wag 


Story  and  Picture  Books  289 

wag,  these  notes  were  all  ascribed  as  quotations  from 
some  profound  author,  just  as  the  cuts  in  Goody 
Two  Shoes  were  said  to  be  by  Michael  Angelo,  and 
the  text  from  the  Vatican.  Thus  after  the  rhymes, 


“Caroline,  or  a Lesson  to  Cure  Vanity,”  from  The  Looking  Glass  for  the  Mind 


“ See-saw,  Margery  Daw,”  etc.,  is  the  sober  com- 
ment, “ It  is  a mean  and  Scandalous  Practice  in 
an  author  to  put  Notes  to  a Thing  that  deserves 
no  Notice.  Grotius.”  After  the  “ Three  Wise 
Men  of  Gotham,”  which  ends  with  the  lines  — 


“If  the  bowl  had  been  stronger 
My  tale  had  been  longer,” 


IS 


290 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


is  the  sententious  note  “ It’s  long  enough.  Never 
lament  the  Loss  of  what  is  not  worth  having. 
Boyle.”  Puffendorf,  Coke  on  Littleton,  Pliny, 
Bentley  on  the  Sublime  and  Beautiful , Mapes’ 
Geography  of  the  Mind , are  other  authors  and  books 
that  are  soberly  cited. 

A very  priggish  little  book  was  entitled  Cob- 
webs to  Catch  Flies.  The  tone  of  its  text  may  be 
shown  in  the  dialogue  about  “The  Toss  About.” 
The  brothers  who  attended  a country  fair  had  been 
forbidden  by  their  mother  to  ride  in  the  Merry-go- 
round.  Dear  Ned  wished  to  try  the  fun.  Dear 
James  said  with  propriety,  “Dear  Ned,  I am  sure 
our  mamma  would  object  to  our  riding  in  this  Toss- 
about.”  Ned  answered,  “ Dear  James,  did  you 
ever  hear  her  name  the  Toss-about?  ” “ No,  dear 

Ned,  but  I am  certain  that  if  she  had  known  of  it 
she  would  have  given  us  the  same  caution  as  she 
did  about  the  Merry-go-round.”  Ned  paused  a 
moment,  then  said,  “ How  happy  am  I to  have  an 
elder  brother  who  is  so  prudent.”  Whereupon 
James  replied,  “ I am  no  less  happy  that  you  are 
so  willing  to  be  advised,”  etc. 

A distinctly  American  book  for  children  was 
printed  in  Philadelphia  in  1793,  a History  of  the 
Revolution.  It  was  in  Biblical  phraseology.  This 
sort  of  writing  had  been  made  popular  by  Franklin 

in 


Story  and  Picture  Books 


291 

in  his  famous  Parable  against  Persecution  which 
he  wrote,  committed  to  memory,  and  pretended  to 
read  as  the  last  chapter  in  Genesis. 

Exceeding  plainness  and  even  coarseness  of  speech 


"Sir  John  Denham  and  his  Worthy  Tenant,”  from  The  Looking  Glass  for  the  Mind 


was  presented  in  the  pages  of  these  old-time  story- 
books. It  was  simply  the  speech  of  the  times 
shown  in  the  plays,  tales,  and  essays  of  the  day,  and 
reflected  to  some  degree  even  in  the  literature  for 
children.  As  an  example  of  what  was  deemed  wit 
may  be  given  a portion  of  the  prologue  to  “ Who 

Killed 


292  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

Killed  Cock  Robin.”  The  book  is  entitled  Death 
and  Burial  of  Cock  Robin. 

“ We  were  all  enjoying  ourselves  very  agreeably  after 
dinner,  when  on  a sudden,  Sir  Peter’s  Lady  gave  so  loud  a 
sneeze  as  threw  the  whole  company  into  disorder.  Master 
Danvers  instead  of  cracking  a nut  gave  his  fingers  a toler- 
able squeeze  in  the  nut-crackers.  Miss  Friendly  who  had 
carried  with  intent  to  put  a fine  cherry  in  her  mouth 
missed  the  mark  and  bit  her  finger.  Sir  Peter  himself, 
who  was  filling  a glass  of  wine,  spilled  the  bottle  on  the 
table.  Miss  Comely  and  Miss  Danvers  who  were  talking 
with  each  other  with  their  heads  very  close  to  each  other 
very  politely  knocked  them  together  to  see  which  was  the 
hardest.  I myself  had  twelve  of  my  ten  toes  handsomely 
trod  on  by  one  of  the  young  ladies  jumping  off  a chair  in  a 
fright.  But  this  is  not  all,  no  nor  half  what  I was  an  eye 
witness  of ; for  just  at  the  time  her  Ladyship  sneezed,  I 
was  busy  contemplating  the  beauty  and  song  of  Miss  Pru- 
dence’s Cock  Robin  that  was  singing  and  as  noisy  as  a 
grig  when  my  Lady  sneezed  which  so  frightened  him  he 
fell  to  the  bottom  of  the  Cage  as  dead  as  a Stone.” 

A widely  read  little  book  was  somewhat  pom- 
pously entitled  The  Looking  Glass  for  the  Mind. 
It  was  chiefly  translated  from  that  much-admired 
work,  L' Ami  des  Enfans.  Those  terse  and  en- 
tertaining tales  of  Berquin  had  perennial  youth  in 
their  English  form  and  were  reprinted  till  our  own 

day. 


Story  and  Picture  Books  293 

day.  The  illustrations  of  Bewick  have  a distinct 
value  as  showing  the  dress  of  children.  A few  are 
here  shown.  The  first  is  trom  William  and  Amelia ; 
both  children  are  not  eight  years  old.  The  long 
trained  gownsj  bare  necks,  elbow  sleeves,  and  tall 
feathered  hats  are  precisely  the  dress  of  grown 
women  of  that  day,  as  William’s  coat  and  knee- 
breeches  are  the  garb  of  a man.  The  two  “ ladies  ” 
were  “walking  arm  in  arm  humming  a pretty  song 
then  fashionable  in  thevilliage  collection  ol  Ballads.” 
When  they  glanced  at  the  apples  in  the  tree  Will- 
iam, “ the  politest  and  prettiest  little  fellow  in  the 
village,”  dropped  his  shepherd’s  pipe,  climbed  the 
tree,  and  threw  down  apples  in  the  ladies’  aprons. 
As  Charlotte  got  more  and  bigger  apples  Amelia 
abandoned  her  “ usual  pleasing  prattle,”  sulked  and 
at  last  ordered  William  to  fall  down  “ on  his  knees 
on  this  instant  ” to  apologize.  As  he  refused  Amelia 
pouted  at  dinner,  would  not  touch  her  wine  nor 
say  “ Your  good  health,  William,”  and  at  last  was 
ordered  by  her  mother  from  the  table.  William, 
after  many  attempts,  sneaked  out  with  some  peaches 
tor  her,  and  thus  an  affectionate  and  generous  triend- 
ship  was  restored. 

Another  illustration  is  for  the  tale,  Caroline , or 
a Lesson  to  Cure  Vanity.  Caroline’s  dress  is  further 
described  in  the  text  as  of  pea-green  taffety  with 

fine 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


294 


fine  pink  trimmings,  elegantly  worked  shoes,  hair 
a clod  of  powder  and  pomatum.  Her  “ fine  silk 
slip  was  nicely  soused  in  the  rain  ” ; her  hoop 
and  flounces  and  train  caught  in  the  furzes,  her 
gauze  hat  blew  in  a pond  of  filthy  water,  etc. ; all 


“Clarissa,  or  the  Grateful  Orphan,’’  from  The  Looking  Glass  for  the  Mind 


these  made  her  glad  to  return  to  a more  modest 
dress.  The  illustration  for  the  Worthy  Tenant 
shows  Farmer  Harris  speaking  to  polite  Sophia, 
while  “ Robert  was  so  shamefully  impertinent  as 
to  walk  round  the  farmer,  holding  his  nose,  and 
asking  his  brother  if  he  did  not  perceive  something 

of 


Story  and  Picture  Books  295 

of  the  smell  of  a dung  heap.  He  then  lighted 
some  paper  at  the  fire,  and  carried  it  around  the 
room  in  order  to  disperse,  as  he  said,  the  un- 
pleasant smell,”  etc.  Clarissa , or  the  Grateful  Or- 
phan, who  was  so  good  that  the  king  relinquished 
a large  fortune  to  her,  complete  the  quartette  of 
illustrations. 

A group  of  books  was  published  just  after  the 
end  of  the  colonial  period,  which  had  a vast  influ- 
ence on  the  children  of  our  young  Republic.  These 
books  were  English  ; the  most  important  of  them 
were:  The  History  of  the  Fairchild  Family , 1788 

circa , by  Mrs.  Sherwood ; Sanford  and  Merton , 
1783,  by  Thomas  Day;  The  Parents'  Assistant , 
1796,  by  Maria  Edgeworth;  Evenings  at  Home , 
1792,  by  Dr.  Aikin  and  Mrs.  Barbauld. 

The  painfully  religious  tales  of  James  Janeway 
were  not  the  only  ones  to  familiarize  death  to 
the  reading  child.  The  Fairchild  Family  was  once 
deemed  a most  charming,  as  it  was  certainly  a 
most  earnest  book,  and  it  has  ever  had  popularity, 
for  within  a few  years  it  has  been  reprinted  in  a 
large  edition.  I wonder  how  many  death-bed 
scenes  and  references  there  are  in  that  book  ! Nor 
are  ordinary  death-beds  the  saddest  or  most  grew- 
soine  scenes.  1'he  little  Eairchilds  having  lost  their 
little  tempers  and  pommelled  each  other  somewhat, 

their 


2g6 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


their  father  takes  them  as  a shocking  object-lesson 
to  see  the  body  of  a man  hung  in  chains  on  a 


Page  from  The  Juvenile  Biographer 


gibbet.  The  horror  of  the  progress  through  the 
gloomy  wood  to  this  revolting  sight,  the  father’s 
unsparing  comments,  the  hideous  account  of  the 
thing , rattling,  swinging,  turning  its  horrible  coun- 
tenance 


Story  and  Picture  Books  297 

tenance  while  Mr.  Fairchild  described  and  explained 
and  gloated  over  it,  and  finally  kneeled  and  prayed, 
— all  this  through  several  pages  no  carefully  reared 
child  to-day  would  be  permitted  to  read.  Mr. 
Fairchild’s  reason  for  taking  them  to  this  gibbeted 
corpse  should  not  be  omitted  from  this  account ; it 
was  “ to  show  them  something  which  I think  they 
will  remember  as  long  as  they  live,  that  they  may 
love  each  other  with  perfect  and  heavenly  love.” 

A painful  and  ever  present  lesson  found  on  every 
page  is  the  sinfulness  of  the  world.  The  children 
recite  verses  and  quote  Bible  texts  to  prove  that 
all  mankind  have  bad  hearts,  and  Lucy  commits 
to  memory  a prayer,  a portion  of  which  runs 
thus  : — 

“ My  heart  is  so  exceedingly  wicked,  so  vile,  so  full  of 
sin,  that  even  when  I appear  to  be  tolerably  good,  even 
then  I am  sinning.  When  I am  praying,  or  reading  the 
Bible,  or  hearing  other  people  read  the  Bible,  even  then  I 
sin.  When  I speak,  I sin  ; when  I am  silent,  I sin.” 

Sandford  and  Merton  is  most  insincerely  rec- 
ommended by  many  folk  to  children  to-day.  I 
cannot  believe  any  one  who  has  recently  read  the 
book  would  ever  expect  a modern  child  to  care  for 
it.  It  is  haloed  in  the  memory  of  people  who  read 
it  in  their  youth  and  fancy  they  still  like  it,  but 

won’t 


298  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

won’t  take  the  trouble  to  read  it  and  see  that  they 
don’t. 

Jane  and  Ann  Taylor  should  be  added  to  this 
class  of  authors.  The  poem,  My  Mother , by  Ann 
Taylor,  was  published  in  book  form,  and  had  many 
imitations.  My  Father , My  Sister,  My  Brother, 
My  Grandmother , My  Playmate,  My  Pony,  My 
Fido,  and  lastly,  My  Governess,  — all,  says  the  ad- 
vertisement, “in  the  same  stile,”  — a style  so  easily 
imitated  as  to  seem  almost  like  parody  : — 

“ Who  learnt  me  how  to  read  and  Spell, 

And  with  my  Needle  work  as  well. 

And  called  me  her  good  little  Girl  ? 

My  Governess. 

“ Who  made  the  Scholar  proud  to  show 
The  Sampler  work’d  to  friend  and  foe. 

And  with  Instruction  fonder  grow  ? 

My  Governess.” 

We  have  the  contemporary  opinion  of  Charles 
Lamb  of  this  new  school  of  juvenile  literature.  In 
1802  he  wrote  thus  to  Coleridge:  — 

“Goody  Two  Shoes  is  almost  out  of  print.  Mrs.  Bar- 
bauld’s  stuff  has  banished  all  the  old  classics  of  the  nursery, 
and  the  shopman  at  Newbery’s  hardly  deigned  to  reach 
them  off  an  old  exploded  corner  of  a shelf,  when  Mary 
asked  for  them.  Mrs.  Barbauld’s  and  Mrs.  Trimmer’s 
nonsense  lay  in  piles  about.  Knowledge  as  insignificant  and 

vapid, 


The  Juvenile  Biographer 


Story  and  Picture  Books 


2 99 


vapid,  as  Mrs.  Barbauld’s  books  convey,  it  seems  must 
come  to  a child  in  the  shape  of  knowledge ; his  empty 
noddle  must  be  turned  with  the  conceit  of  his  own  powers 
when  he  has  learned  that  a horse  is  an  animal,  and  Billy  is 
better  than  a horse,  and  such-like,  instead  of  the  beautiful 
interest  in  mild  tales  which  made  the  child  a man,  while 
all  the  time  he  suspected  himself  to  be  no  bigger  than  a 
child  . . . Hang  them  ! — I mean  the  cursed  Barbauld 
crew,  those  blights  and  blasts  of  all  that  is  human  in  man 
and  child.” 

In  the  Boston  Gazette  and  Country  Journal , Janu- 
ary 20,  1772,  the  Boston  booksellers,  Cox  and  Berry, 
have  this  notice  of  their  wares  : — 

u The  following  Little  Books  for  the  Instruction  and 
Amusement  of  all  good  Boys  and  Girls  : — 

The  Brother  Gift  or  the  Naughty  Girl  Reformed. 

The  Sister  Gift  or  the  Naughty  Boy  Reformed. 

Hobby  Horse  or  Christian  Companion. 

Robin  Good-Fellow,  a Fairy  Tale. 

Puzzling  Cap,  a Collection  of  Riddles. 

The  Cries  of  London  as  exhibited  in  the  Streets. 

Royal  Guide  or  Early  Instruction  in  Reading  English. 

Mr.  Winlove’s  Collection  of  Moral  Tales. 

History  of  Tom  Jones,  abridg’d. 

“ “ Joseph  Andrews  “ 

“ “ Pamela  a 

a “ Grandison  w 

u “ Clarissa  w ” 


It 


3°° 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


It  may  be  seen  by  the  last-named  books  on  this 
list  that  another  series  of  books  for  children  were 
abridgments  of  Tom  Jones , Joseph  Andrews , Pamela , 
and  other  great  novels  of  the  day.  Rabelais  said  no 
abridgment  of  a book  could  be  a good  abridgment  ; 
these  are  worse  than  none.  The  childish  reader  is 
notified  that  if  he  likes  the  little  books,  his  good 
friend,  Mr.  Thomas,  has  the  larger  books  for  sale. 

The  engraving  ot  the  great  Mr.  Richardson  sit- 
ting in  his  grotto,  in  1751,  in  turban,  banyan,  and 
slippers,  reading  Sir  Charles  Grandison  to  a group 
of  friends,  chiefly  admiring  young  ladies  in  great 
hats  and  padusoy  sacques,  is  typical  of  his  life.  He 
lived  in  a flower  garden  ot  girls,  one  intimate  circle 
around  his  feet,  and  swelling  circles  extending  even 
to  America,  — all  facing  inward  and  worshipping  him 
and  his  works.  They  wept  and  smiled  in  a vast 
chorus  at  the  dull  pages  of  Pamela , at  the  sur- 
prising ones  of  Clarissa , and  the  thousands  of 
interesting  ones  of  Sir  Charles  Grandison.  These 
seven  volumes  of  letters  exchanged  between  sixteen 
women,  twenty  men,  all  lovers,  and  fourteen  Italians 
who  are  enumerated  as  of  another  sex,  and  are  like- 
wise chiefly  lovers,  are  too  prolix  to  be  read  to-day, 
but  were  a record  of  love-making  which  touched 
every  girl’s  heart  a century  and  more  ago. 

Little  Anna  Green  Winslow  speaks  occasionally 

in 


Two  Pages  of  The  Father's  Gift 


Story  and  Picture  Books 


301 


in  her  diary  of  story-books.  She  had  for  a New 
Year’s  gift  the  “ History  of  Joseph  Andrews  abbre- 
viated in  guilt  and  flowered  covers.”  She  read  the 
Pilgrim  s Progress , the  Mother  s Gift , Gulliver  s 
Travels , The  Puzzling  Cap , The  French  Orators , and 
Gaffer  Two  Shoes  — this  may  have  been  our  own 
Goody,  not  Gaffer. 

d'he  “flowery  and  gilt”  binding  of  these  books, 
so  often  spoken  of  in  the  notices,  is  wholly  a thing 
of  the  past.  It  was  made  in  Holland  and  Germany; 
but  recent  inquiry  about  it  discovered  that  the  stamps 
and  presses  used  in  its  manufacture  had  all  been  de- 
stroyed. An  enthusiastic  lover  of  these  little  books 
wrote  : — 

“Talk  of  your  vellum,  gold  embossed  morocco,  roan,  and  calf. 
The  blue  and  yellow  wraps  of  old  were  prettier  by  half.” 

They  were  cheap  enough,  but  a penny  apiece, 
some  of  them,  others  sixpence.  It  is  doubtful 
whether  they  were  ever  sold  in  America  in  vast 
numbers.  Children  lent  them  to  each  other.  Anna 
Green  Winslow  borrowed  them,  and  letters  of  her 
day  show  other  children  doing  likewise.  It  was 
a day  of  book-lending;  for  circulating  libraries 
were  slow  of  formation.  The  minister’s  library 
was  often  the  largest  one  in  each  town,  and  he  lent 
his  precious  books  to  his  flock.  In  the  sparse 

advertisements 


302 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


advertisements  of  colonial  newspapers  are  many  ad- 
vertisements of  book  owners  who  have  lent  books, 
forgotten  to  whom,  and  wish  them  returned.  The 


lived  to  years  of  matu- 
rity, kind  death  was  pleated  to 
difpatch  him  in  the  twelfth  year 
of  his  age,  by  the  help  of  a dozen 
penny  cuftards,  which  he  greed- 
ily conveyed  down  his  throat  at 
one  meal,  and  thereby  gorged 
nis  flomach,  and  threw  himlelf 
into  a mortal  fever.  After  his 


exit 


Page  of  Vice  in  its  proper  Shape 


only  way  country  children  had  of  reading  many 
books  was  by  borrowing. 

American  boys  and  girls  felt  till  our  own  day 
both  bewilderment  and  impatience  at  forever  read- 
ing 


Story  and  Picture  Books 


3°3 

ing  stories  whose  local  color  was  wholly  strange 
to  them.  Dr.  Holmes  thus  expresses  this  condi- 
tion of  things  : — 

“ Books  where  James  was  called  Jem  not  Jim  as  we 
heard  it  ; where  naughty  schoolboys  got  through  a gap  in 
the  hedge  to  steal  Farmer  Giles’s  red-streaks,  instead  of 
shinning  over  the  fence  to  hook  old  Daddy  Jones’s  bald- 
wins  ; where  Hodge  used  to  go  to  the  ale-house  for  his 
mug  of  beer,  while  we  used  to  see  old  Joe  steering  for  the 
grocery  to  get  his  glass  of  rum  ; where  there  were  larks 
and  nightingales  instead  of  yellow-birds  and  bobolinks  ; 
where  the  robin  was  a little  domestic  bird  that  fed  at  table 
instead  of  a great,  fidgety,  jerky,  whooping  thrush.” 

The  debt  of  amusement  which  American  children 
owed  to  Newbery  was  paid  in  this  century  by  the 
supply  to  English  children  of  a vast  number  of  little 
books  of  profit  and  pleasure,  all  written  bv  a single 
author,  “ Peter  Parley,”  or  Samuel  G.  Goodrich. 
In  the  middle  of  the  century  this  gentleman  stated 
that  he  had  written  one  hundred  and  twenty  books 
that  were  professedly  juvenile.  Ot  these  and  his 
books  for  older  minds  about  seven  million  copies 
had  been  sold,  and  about  three  hundred  thousand 
were  still  sold  annually.  They  were  sent  to  Eng- 
land in  vast  numbers,  and  were  reprinted  there 
both  with  and  without  the  author’s  permission. 
And  when  the  original  books  were  not  pirated,  the 


name 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


304 

name  Peter  Parley  was  calmly  attached  to  the  com- 
positions of  English  authors,  as  a vastly  salable 
trade-mark. 

Scores  ot  American  authors,  by  the  middle  of  this 
century,  were  writing  little  books  for  children.  These 
were  a class  by  themselves  — Sunday-school  books. 

They  do  not  come  within  the  very  elastic  time  limit 
set  for  this  chapter.  They  are  not  old  enough  in 
years,  though  they  are  rapidly  becoming  as  obso- 
lete as  any  children’s  books  ot  the  last  century. 

Books  written  avowedly  for  Sunday-schools 
are  in  decreasing  demand.  Those  with 
sectarian  teachings,  especially, 
find  fewer  and  fewer 
purchasers. 


CHAPTER  XV 


children’s  diligence 

For  Satan  finds  some  mischief  stii. 

For  idle  hands  to  do. 

— Di-vine  Songs  for  Children.  Isaac  IVatts,  IJ20. 

COLONIAL  children  did  not  spend  much 
time  in  play.  “ The  old  deluder  Sathan  ” 
was  not  permitted  to  hnd  many  idle  hands 
ready  for  his  mischievous  work.  It  was  ordered  by 
the  magistrates  that  children  tending  sheep  or  cattle 
in  the  field  should  be  “ set  to  some  other  employ- 
ment withal,  such  as  spinning  upon  the  rock,  knit- 
ting, weaving  tape,”  etc.  These  were  all  simple 
industries  requiring  slight  paraphernalia.  The  rock 
was  the  hand  distaff.  It  was  simple  of  manipu- 
lation, but  required  a certain  knack  of  dexterity  to 
produce  even  well-twisted  thread.  Good  spinners 
could  spin  on  the  rock  as  they  walked.  Tape-weav- 
ing was  done  on  a simple  appliance,  the  heddle- 
frame  of  primitive  weavers,  known  as  a tape-loom, 
garter-loom,  belt-loom,  or  “ gall us-frame.”  On 
these  small  looms  girls  wove  scores  of  braids  and 
x 305  tapes 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


3 oh 

tapes  tor  use  as  glove-ties,  shoe-strings,  hair-laces, 
stay-laces,  garters,  hatbands,  belts,  etc.,  and  boys 
wove  garters  and  breeches-suspenders. 

1'here  was  plenty  ot  work  on  a farm  even  for  little 
children;  they  sowed  various  seeds  in  early  spring; 
they  weeded  flax  fields,  walking  barefoot  among  the 
tender  plants  ; they  hetchelled  flax  and  combed  wool. 

All  the  work  on  the  flax  after  the  breaking  was 
done  in  olden  times  by  women  and  children.  It  is 
said  there  are  in  all  twenty  different  occupations  in 
flax  manufacture,  of  which  half  can  be  easily  done  by 
children.  Much  of  the  work  in  domestic  wool  spin- 
ning and  weaving  was  done  by  little  girls.  They 
could  spin  on  “ the  great  wheel  ” when  they  were 
so  small  that  thev  had  to  stand  on  a foot-stool  to 
reach  up.  They  skeined  the  yarn  on  a clock-reel. 
They  easily  filled  the  “quills”  with  the  woollen 
yarn  used  in  weaving  bedspreads  and  set  the 

quills  in  the  middle  of  the  great  pointed  wooden 
shuttles.  They  wound  the  white  warp  on  the 

spools,  and  set  the  spools  on  the  scarne.  They 

might,  if  very  deft  and  attentive,  help  “ set  the 

piece,”  that  is,  wind  the  warp  threads  on  the  great 
yarn-beam,  pass  them  through  the  eyes  of  the  hed- 
dles  or  harness,  and  the  spans  of  the  reed.  Girls 
of  six  could  spin  fax.  Anna  Green  Winslow,  when 
twelve  years  old,  speaks  often  in  her  diary  of  spin- 


ning ; 


Children’s  Diligence 


307 


ning ; and  when  disabled  from  sewing  by  a painful 
whitlow  on  her  finger,  wrote  that  “it  is  a nice  oppor- 
tunity if  I do  but  improve  it,  to  perfect  myself  in 
learning  to  spin  flax.” 


The  Good  Girl  and  her  Wheel 

In  the  Memoirs  of  the  missionaries,  David  and 
John  Brainerd,  a bov’s  busy  life  on  a Connecticut 
farm  is  thus  described  : — 

“ T he  boy  was  taught  that  laziness  was  the  worst  form 
of  original  sin.  Hence  he  must  rise  early  and  make  him- 
self useful  before  he  went  to  school,  must  be  diligent  there 
in  study,  and  promptly  home  to  do  “ chores  ” at  evening. 
His  whole  time  out  of  school  must  be  filled  up  with  some 


service, 


3°8 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


service,  such  as  bringing  in  fuel  for  the  day,  cutting  pota- 
toes for  the  sheep,  feeding  the  swine,  watering  the  horses, 
picking  the  berries,  gathering  the  vegetables,  spooling  the 
yam.  He  was  expected  never  to  be  reluctant  and  not 
often  tired.” 

This  constant  employment  of  a farm  boy’s  time 
lasted  till  our  own  day;  but  now  conditions  have 
changed  in  Eastern  farm  life.  The  work  still  is 
hard  and  incessant,  but  not  so  varied  as  of  yore. 
Many  crops  are  obsolete;  no  flax  is  raised,  and 
but  little  wool,  and  that  sold  as  soon  as  sheared. 
Little  grain  is  raised  and  no  threshing  is  done  by 
the  Hail.  Vast  itinerant  threshing  machines  go  from 
farm  to  farm.  Few  farmers  make  cider,  which  gave 
so  much  work  to  the  boys  in  autumn.  There  is  no 
potash  or  soap  boiling.  One  of  the  most  delightful 
chronicles  of  obsolete  farm  industry  is  written  by 
H on.  George  Sheldon  and  entitled  The  Passing  of 
the  Stall-Fed  Ox  and  the  Farmer  s Boy. 

The  sawing  and  chopping  of  wood  was  a never 
diminishing  incubus;  this  outdoor  work  on  wood 
was  continued  within  doors  in  the  series  of  articles 
fashioned  for  farm  and  domestic  use  by  the  boy’s 
jack-knife  and  the  few  heavy  carpenter’s  tools  at  his 
command;  some  gave  to  the  farm  boy  the  rare 
pennies  of  his  spending  money.  The  making  of 
birch  splinter  brooms  was  the  best  paying  work. 

For 


Children’s  Diligence 


3°9 


For  these  the  boy  got  six  cents  apiece.  The  split- 
ting of  shoe-pegs  was  another.  Setting  card-teeth 
was  for  many  years  the  universal  income  furnisher 


I.ITTl.K  S EMHSTItKSS 
sempstress  who  can  see 
her  industry 
thus  iipi’io'hl  sho  sits  to  sow, 

as  sump  children  do. 


Illustration  from  Plain  Things  for  Little  Folks 


for  New  England  children.  Gathering  nuts  was  a 
scantily  paid-for  harvest ; tying  onions  a less  pleas- 
ing one,  and  chiefly  followed  in  the  Connecticut 
Valley.  The  crop  of  wild  cherries  known  as  choke- 
cherries  was  one  ot  the  most  lucrative  of  the  boy’s 


resources. 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


3 TO 

resources.  They  were  much  desired  for  making 
cherry-rum  or  cherry-bounce,  and  would  fetch  read- 
ily a dollar  a bushel.  A good-sized  tree  would  yield 
about  six  bushels.  J.  T.  Buckingham  tells  of  his 
first  spending  money  being  ninepence  received  from 
a brush-maker  for  hog-bristles  saved  from  slaugh- 
tered swine. 

The  story  of  various  silk  fevers  which  raged  in 
America  cannot  be  given  here,  romantic  as  they  are. 
From  the  first  venture  the  care  of  silkworms  was 
held  to  be  a specially  suitable  work  for  children.  It 
was  said  two  boys,  “ if  their  hands  be  not  sleeping 
in  their  pockets,”  could  care  for  six  ounces  of  seed 
Irom  hatching  till  within  fourteen  days  of  spinning, 
when  “ three  or  four  more  helps,  women  and  chil- 
dren being  as  proper  as  men,”  had  to  assist  in  feeding, 
cleansing,  airing,  drying,  and  perfuming  them. 

The  Reformed  Virginia  Silk  Worm  asserted:  — 

“ For  the  Labour  of  a man  and  boy 
They  gain  you  Sixty  pounds  which  is  no  toy.” 

Mulberry  trees  were  planted  everywhere  and  kept 
low  like  a hedge,  so  children  could  pick  the  leaves. 
All  the  books  of  instruction  of  the  day  reiterate 
that  a child  ten  years  of  age  could  easily  gather 
seventy-five  pounds  of  mulberry  leaves  a day,  and 
make  great  wages.  But  an  old  lady,  now  eighty 

years 


Children’s  Diligence 


3T 1 

years  old,  who  made  much  sewing  silk  in  Connecti- 
cut in  her  youth,  writes  thus  to  me  : “ Girls  picked 
most  of  the  leaves.  It  was  very  hard  work  and 
very  small  pay.  They  had  ten  cents  a bushel  for 
picking.  Some  could  pick  three  bushels  a day.” 
The  first  thought  of  spring  brought  to  the  men 
of  the  New  England  household  a hard  work  — 
maple-sugar  making  — which  meant  vast  labor  in 
preparation  and  in  execution  — all  ot  which  was 
cheerfully  hailed,  for  it  gave  men  and  boys  a chance 
to  be  as  Charles  Kingsley  said,  “ a savage  for  a 
while.”  It  meant  several  nights  spent  in  the 
sugar-camp  in  the  woods,  a-gypsying.  Think  of 
the  delight  of  that  scene:  the  air  clear  but  mild 
enough  to  make  the  sap  run ; patches  of  snow 
still  shining  pure  in  the  moonlight  and  star- 
light; all  the  mystery  of  the  voices  of  the  night, 
when  a startled  rabbit  or  squirrel  made  a crackling 
sound  in  its  stealthy  retreat;  the  distant  hoot  of  a 
waketul  owl  ; the  snapping  of  pendent  icicles  and 
crackling  of  blazing  brush,  yet  over  all  a great  still- 
ness, “all  silence  and  all  glisten.”  An  exaltation 
of  the  spirit  and  senses  came  to  the  country  boy 
which  was  transformed  at  midnight  into  keen  thrills 
of  imaginative  fright  at  recollection  of  the  stories 
told  by  his  elders  with  rude  acting  and  vivid  word- 
ing during  the  early  evening  round  the  fire;  of 

hunting 


312  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

hunting  and  trapping,  of  Indians  and  bears,  and 
those  delights  of  country  story-tellers  in  New  Eng- 
land, catamounts,  wolverines,  and  cats  — this  latter 
ever  meaning  in  hunter’s  phrasing  wild-cats.  Think 
of  “ a wolverine  with  eyes  like  blazing  coals,  and 
every  hair  whistling  like  a bell,”  as  he  sprung  with 
outspread  claws  from  a high  tree  on  the  passing 
hunter — do  you  think  the  boy  sat  by  the  fire 
throughout  the  night  without  looking  a score  of 
times  for  the  blazing  eyeballs,  and  listening  for  the 
whistling  fur,  and  hearing  steps  like  that  of  the  lion 
in  Pilgrim' s Progress , “ a great  soft  padding  paw.” 

What  forest  lore  the  boys  learned,  too:  that  more 
and  sweeter  sap  came  from  a maple  which  stood 
alone  than  from  any  in  a grove  ; that-  the  shallow 
gouge  flowed  more  freely,  but  the  deep  gouge  was 
richest  in  sweet ; and  that  many  other  forest  trees 
besides  the  maple  ran  a sweet  sap. 

I believe  that  in  earliest  colonial  days  boys  also 
took  part  in  a joyful  outing,  a public  custom  known 
•is  perambulating  or  beating  the  bounds.  The 
memory  of  boundaries  and  division  lines,  of  com- 
mons, public  highways,  etc.,  was  kept  fresh  in  the 
minds  of  the  inhabitants  by  an  old-time  Aryan 
custom,  — the  walking  around  them  once  a year, 
noting  lines  of  boundary,  and  impressing  these 
on  the  notice  and  memory  of  young  people. 

To 


Children’s  Diligence  313 

To  induce  English  bovs  to  accompany  these  per- 
ambulations, it  was  cus- 
tomary to  distribute  some 
little  gratuity ; this  was 
usually  a willow  wand, 
tied  at  the  end  with  a 
bunch  ot  points,  which 
were  bits  ot  string  about 
eight  inches  long,  consist- 
ing of  strands  of  cotton 
or  woollen  yarn  braided 
or  twisted  together,  ended 
by  a tag  of  a bit  of  metal  or 
wood.  These  points  were 
used  to  tie  the  hose  to  the 
knees  of  the  breeches;  the 
waistband  of  the  breeches 
to  the  jacket,  etc.  Long 
after  points  were  aban- 
doned as  a portion  ot 
dress  the  wands  with  their 
little  knot  of  points  were 
given.  Pepys  wrote  in 
1661  that  he  heard  that 
at  certain  boundaries  the 
boys  were  smartly  whipped  to  impress  the  bounds 
upon  their  memories. 

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Anne  Lennod’s  Sampler 


314  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

“ Beating  the  bounds”  was  a specially  important 
duty  in  the  colonies  where  land  surveys  were 
imperfect,  land  grants  irregular,  and  the  boundaries 
ol  each  man’s  farm  or  plantation  at  first  very  uncer- 
tain. In  Virginia  this  beating  the  bounds  was 
called  “ processioning.”  Landmarks  were  renewed 
that  were  becoming  obliterated ; blazes  on  a tree 
would  be  somewhat  grown  over — they  were  deeply 
recut;  piles  ol  great  stones  containing  a certain 
number  for  designation  were  sometimes  scattered  — 
the  original  number  would  be  restored.  Special 
trees  would  be  found  fallen  or  cut  down  ; new  mark- 
ing trees  would  be  planted,  usually  pear  trees,  as 
they  were  long-lived.  Disputed  boundaries  were 
decided  upon  and  announced  to  all  the  persons 
present,  some  of  whom  at  the  next  “processioning” 
would  be  living  and  be  able  to  testify  as  to  the  cor- 
rect line.  This  processioning  took  place  between 
Easter  and  Whitsuntide,  that  lovely  season  ol  the 
year  in  Virginia ; and  must  have  proved  a pleasant 
reunion  of  neighbors,  a May-party.  In  New  Eng- 
land this  was  called  “ perambulating  the  bounds,” 
and  the  surveyors  who  took  charge  were  called 
“ perambulators  ” or  “ boundsgoers.” 

To  either  man  or  boy  ol  to-day  or  any  day  it 
would  seem  an  absurdity  to  name  hunting  and  fish 
ing  in  a chapter  dealing  with  boys’  diligence;  lor 


in 


Children’s  Diligence  315 

in  the  sports  of  the  woods  and  waters  colonial  boys 
doubtless  found  one  of  their  greatest  amusements. 
But  these  sports  were  also  hard  work  and  were 
engaged  in  for  profit  as  well  as  for  pleasure.  The 
scattered  sheepfolds  and  grazing  pastures  at  first  had 
to  be  zealously  guarded  from  wild  animals  ; wolves 
were  everywhere  the  most  hated  and  most  destruc- 
tive beasts.  They  were  caught  in  many  ways  ; in 
wolf-pits,  in  log-pens,  in  log-traps.  Heavy  mack- 
erel hooks  were  tied  together,  dipped  in  melted 
tallow  which  hardened  in  a bunch  and  concealed  the 
hooks,  and  tied  to  a strong  chain.  If  the  wolf 
swallowed  the  hooks  without  any  chain  attached,  it 
would  kill  him  ; but  he  might  die  in  the  depths  of 
the  forest  and  his  head  could  not  be  brought  in  to 
secure  the  bounty.  In  old  town  lists  are  the  names 
of  many  boys  with  “ wolf-money  set  to  their  credit.” 
A wolf-rout  or  wolf-drive,  which  was  like  the  old 
English  “ drift  of  the  forest,”  was  a ring  of  men  and 
boys  armed  with  guns  surrounding  a large  tract  of 
forest.  The  wary  wolves  scented  their  enemies  afar 
and  retreated  before  them  to  the  centre  of  a circle, 
and  many  were  killed.  Squirrels  and  hares  were 
hunted  in  the  same  way.  Once  a year  in  many 
places  they  had  shooting  matches  in  which  every 
living  wild  creature  was  prey,  and  a prize  was  given 
to  the  one  bringing  in  the  most  birds’  heads  and 

animals’ 


3l6 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

animals’  tails.  1 his  cruel  wholesale  destruction  of 
singing  birds  as  well  as  game  birds  was  carried  on 
almost  till  our  own  day. 

Foxes  were  destructive  in  the  hen  yards.  On  a 
bright  moonlight  night  the  hunters  placed  a load  of 
codfish  heads  on  the  bright  side  of  a stone  wall. 
The  fish  could  be  smelt  afar,  and  when  the  keen 
foxes  approached  they  were  shot  by  the  hunters, 
hiding  in  the  shadow.  Bears  lingered  long  even  in 
the  vicinity  of  cities  and  were  hunted  with  dogs. 
The  History  of  Roxbury  states  that  in  the  year  1725, 
in  one  week  in  September,  twenty  bears  were  killed 
within  two  miles  of  Boston. 

In  Virginia  deer-hunting  was  a constant  sport. 
They  were  “burnt  out,”  and  in  imitation  of  the 
Indian  way  of  hunting  under  the  blind  of  a “stalk- 
ing head,”  the  English  taught  their  horses  to  walk 
slowly  by  the  huntsman’s  side,  hiding  him  as  he 
approached  the  deer,  who  were  not  afraid  of  horses. 
A diverting  sport  was  what  was  called  “ vermin- 
hunting.” It  was  done  on  foot  with  small  dogs,  by 
moon  or  starlight.  Raccoons,  foxes,  and  opossums 
were  the  chief  animals' sought.  Bounties  were  paid 
for  the  destruction  of  squirrels  and  rattlesnakes.  It 
is  appalling  to  see  the  bounty  lists  of  some  New 
England  towns  for  snake  rattles.  Yet  the  loss  of 
life  was  small  from  snake  bites.  The  boys  profited 

by 


Colonel  Wadsworth  and  his  Son 


Children’s  Diligence  317 

by  all  these  bounties,  and  worked  eagerly  to  secure 
them. 

Wild  turkeys  were  caught  in  turkey  pens,  enclos- 
ures made  of  poles  about  twenty  feet  long,  laid  one 
above  another,  forming  a solid  wall  ten  feet  high. 
This  was  covered  with  a close  pole  and  brush  roof. 
A ditch  was  dug  beginning  about  fifteen  feet  away 
from  the  pen,  sloping  down  and  carried  under  one 
side  of  the  pen  and  opening  up  into  it  through  a 
board  in  which  a hole  was  cut  just  large  enough  for 
a turkey  to  pass  through.  Corn  was  strewn  the 
whole  length  of  the  ditch.  The  turkeys  followed 
the  ditch  and  the  corn  up  through  the  hole  into 
the  pen  ; and  held  their  heads  too  high  ever  to  find 
their  way  out  again.  Often  fifty  captives  would  be 
found  in  the  morning. 

Boys  learned  “xo  prate”  for  pigeons,  that  is,  to 
imitate  their  call.  This  was  useful  in  luring  them 
within  gun-shot.  A successful  method  of  pigeon- 
shooting was  learned  from  the  Indians.  A covert 
was  made  of  green  branches  with  an  opening  in  the 
back  by  which  the  hunter  could  enter.  In  front  of 
this  covert,  at  firing  distance,  a long  pole  was  raised 
up  on  two  crotched  sticks  eight  or  ten  feet  from  the 
ground,  set  so  that  a shot  from  the  booth  would 
rake  the  entire  length  of  the  pole  ; hence  the  crotch 
nearest  the  booth  was  a trifle  lower  than  the  other, 

at 


3 1 8 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


at  the  same  angle  that  the  gun  barrel  would  take. 
To  lure  pigeons  from  a flock  to  settle  on  this  pole 
live  pigeons  were  used  as  decoys.  They  were 
temporarily  blinded  in  a cruel  manner.  A hole  was 
pierced  in  the  lower  eyelid,  a thread  inserted,  and 
the  eyelid  drawn  up  and  tied  over  the  eye.  A soft 
kid  boot  or  loop  was  put  over  one  leg  and  a fine 
cord  tied  to  it.  The  pigeon  called  the  long  flyer 
had  a long  cord,  and  by  his  fluttering  attracted 
pigeons  from  a flock.  The  short  flyer  with  shorter 
cord  lured  pigeons  flying  low.  The  hoverer  was 
tied  close  to  the  end  of  a small  pole  set  on  an  up- 
right post.  This  pole  was  worked  by  a string,  and 
by  moving  the  pigeon  up  and  down  it  appeared  to  be 
hovering  as  if  to  alight.  The  hunter,  loudly  prating, 
sat  hidden  behind  his  three  blind,  fluttering,  terrified 
decoys.  Then  came  a beautiful  flash  and  gleam  ot 
color  and  life  and  graceful  motion,  as  with  a swish 
of  reversed  wings  a row  of  gentle  creatures  lighted 
on  the  fatal  pole.  In  a second  came  the  report  ot 
the  gun,  and  the  ground  was  covered  with  the 
fluttering,  maimed,  and  dead  bodies.  Fifty-two  at 
one  shot,  a Lexington  man  named  William  Locke 
killed.  Other  methods  of  pigeon-killing  were  by 
snaring  them  in  “twitch-ups”;  also  in  a pigeon- 
bed,  baited,  over  which  a net  was  thrown  on  the 
feeding  birds. 


By 


Children’s  Diligence 


3 1 9 


By  the  seashore  whole  communities  turned  to  the 
teeming  ocean  for  the  means  of  life.  Every  fishing 
vessel  that  left  the  towns  of  Cape  Ann  and  Cape 
Cod  carried,  with  its  crew  of  grown  men,  a boy  of 
ten  or  twelve  to  learn  “ the  art  and  mystery  ” of 
fishing.  He  had  a name  — a “cut-tail.”  He  cut 
a wedge-shaped  bit  from  the  tail  of  every  fish  he 
caught,  and  in  the  sorting-out  and  counting-up  at 
the  close  of  the  trip  his  share  of  the  profits  was  thus 
plainly  indicated.  Long  before  these  fishing  indus- 
tries were  thoroughly  organized  the  early  chroniclers 
told  of  the  share  of  boys  in  fishing.  Even  John 
Smith  stirred  up  English  stay-at-homes,  saying  : — 

“Young  boyes,  girles,  salvages  or  any  others,  bee  they 
never  such  idlers,  may  turne,  carry,  and  returne  fish  with- 
out shame,  or  either  greate  paine  : hee  is  very  idle  that  is 
past  twelve  years  of  age  and  cannot  doe  so  much  ; and 
shee  is  very  old  that  cannot  spin  a thread  to  catch  them.” 

It  was  natural  that  boys  born  in  seashore  towns 
should  turn  to  the  sea.  They  found  in  the  incom- 
ing ships  their  sole  connecting  link  with  the  outside 
world.  Romance,  sentiment,  mystery,  deviltry, 
haloed  the  sailor.  He  was  ever  welcome  to  the 
public,  and  ever  a source  of  interest  whether  in 
tarry  working  garb,  or  gay  shore  togs  of  flapping 
trousers,  crimson  sash,  eelskin  and  cutlasses,  or 

perhaps 


3io 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


perhaps  garbed  like  Captain  Creedon,  who  appeared 
in  Boston  in  the  year  1662  dressed,  so  says  the 
letter  of  a Boston  minister,  “ in  a strange  habitt  with 
a 4 Cornered  Capp  instead  of  a hatt  and  his 
Breeches  hung  with  Ribbons  from  the  Wast  down- 
ward a great  depth  one  over  the  other  like  the 
Shingles  ot  a house.”  Naturally  enough  “the  boys 
made  an  outcry  and  wondered.” 

Can  it  be  wondered  that  two  centuries  of  New 
England  boys,  stirred  in  their  quiet  round  of  life  by 
similar  gay  comets  and  tales  of  adventure,  have  had  a 
passionate  ichor  in  their  veins  of  longing  for  “ the 
magic  and  the  mystery  of  the  sea,”  that  they  have 
eagerly  gone  before  the  mast,  and  rounded  the  Horn, 
and  come  home  master  seamen  when  in  their  teens. 
1 know  a New  England  family  of  dignity  and  wealth 
in  which  six  successive  generations  of  sons  have  gone 
to  sea  in  their  boyhood,  some  of  later  years  running 
away  from  home  to  do  so.  In  Portsmouth,  New 
Hampshire,  in  1787,  — so  tells  a newspaper  of  that 
date,  — were  living  a man  and  wife  who 
had  been  married  about  twenty  years, 
and  had  eighteen  sons,  of 
whom  ten  were 
then  at 


sea. 


CHAPTER  XVI 


NEEDLECRAFT  AND  DECORATIVE  ARTS 

She  wrought  all  Needleworks  that  Women  exercise , 

With  Pin  Frame  or  Stoole  all  Pictures  Artificial!, 

Curious  Knots  or  Traits  that  Fancy  could  devise. 

Beasts,  Birds,  or  Flowers  even  as  things  Naturall. 

— Epitaph  of  Elizabeth  Lucar.  Church  St.  Michael,  Crooked 
Lane,  London,  ij yj. 


HUMAN  nature  was  the  same  in  the  seven- 
teenth and  eighteenth  centuries  as  to-day; 
waves  of  devotion  to  some  special  form 
of  ornamentation  either  for  the  household  or  the 
wardrobe  swept  over  families,  neighborhoods,  com- 
munities ; when  we  reach  the  days  of  newspapers 
we  find  in  their  columns  some  evidence  of  the 
names  and  character  of  these  decorations.  In  1716 
Mr.  B rownell,  the  Boston  schoolmaster,  advertised 
that  at  his  school  young  women  and  children 
could  be  taught  “all  sorts  of  fine  works  as  Feather- 
works,  Filigree,  and  Painting  on  Glass,  Embroid- 
ering a new  way,  Turkeywork  for  Handkerchiefs 
two  new  Ways,  fine  new  fashion  Purses,  flour- 


322 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


ishing  and  Plain  work.”  The  perishable  nature 
of  the  material  would  prevent  the  preservation  of 
many  specimens  of  feather-work  ; but  very  pretty 
flowers  for  head-dresses  and  bonnets  were  made 
of  minute  feathers  or  portions  of  feathers  pasted  on 
a firm  foundation  in  many  collected  shapes.  T his 
work  may  have  been  suggested  by  the  beautiful 
feather  flowers  made  in  many  of  the  South  Sea 
Islands;  perhaps  an  old  sea  captain  brought  some 
home  to  his  wife  or  sweetheart  as  a gift.  The  sober 
colors  of  many  of  our  home  birds  would  not  make 
so  brilliant  a bouquet  as  the  songless  birds  of  the 
tropics,  especially  the  millions  of  the  various  parrot 
tribes  ; still  an  everyday  New  England  rooster  has 
a wealth  of  splendid  glistening  color,  while  blue 
jays,  red-headed  woodpeckers,  yellow  birds,  and  an 
occasional  oriole  or  scarlet  tanager  could  furnish 
beautiful  feathers  enough  to  waken  the  ire  of  an 
Audubon  Society. 

Painting  on  glass  was  an  amusement  of  more 
scope.  In  England  it  was  all  the  mode,  and  some 
very  quaint  specimens  survive;  simpering  beauties, 
flowers,  and  fruit  were  the  favorite  subjects.  Coats 
of  arms,  too,  were  painted  on  glass,  and  handsome 
they  were.  It  is  not  possible  to  state  exactly  the 
position  which  the  study  of  armorial  bearings  and 
significations  had  for  two  or  three  centuries.  It 

seemed 


Needlecraft  and  Decorative  Arts  323 

seemed  to  bear  relatively  the  same  place  that  a pro- 
found study  of  literature  has  to-day  — the  pastime 
and  delight  of  cultured  people.  We  have  been 
amused  for  a few  years  past  at  the  domination  of 
color  in  literature ; every  book  title  had  a color 
word,  as  The  Red  Robe , Under  the  Red  Lamp , A 
Study  in  Scarlet , The  Red  Badge  of  Courage , etc.  This 
idiasm  — as  Mr.  Ingleby  would  call  it — has  ex- 
tended to  music,  and  even  into  scientific  suggestion 
and  medicine;  but  this  attributing  unusual  qualities 
to  colors  is  nothing  new.  In  the  Cotton  Manu- 
scripts, a series  of  essays  on  music  six  hundred  years 
old,  the  relation  between  music  and  color,  especially 
in  coat  armor,  is  given  ; tor  instance,  cc  fire-red  ” was 
the  most  malignant  color  in  arms,  and  only  third  in 
benignity  in  music.  All  gentlefolk  were  profoundly 
wise  as  to  the  meaning  of  colors  in  coats  of  arms, 
etc.,  and  their  influence  on  the  character  and  life  of 
the  persons  bearing  the  arms. 

This  interest  in  the  study  of  heraldry  wavered  in 
intensity  but  did  not  die  till  the  days  of  a new 
nation  ; and  we  find  from  the  middle  of  the  seven- 
teenth to  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  that 
young  girls  in  the  families  of  gentlefolk  paid  much 
attention  to  the  making  of  coats  of  arms.  Those 
painted  on  glass  were  the  richest  in  color  and  the 
most  satisfactory,  but  embroidered  ones  were  more 


common. 


324  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

common.  The  choicest  materials  were  used,  the 
drawing  was  carefully  executed,  and  the  stitches 
minute.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  laws  of 
the  herald  were  strictly  regarded  in  the  setting  of  the 


Jerusha  Pitkin’s  Embroidery  and  Frame 

stitches.  In  azure  the  stitches  were  laid  parallel 
across  the  escutcheon;  in  gules , perpendicular;  in 
purpure,  diagonally  from  right  to  left,  and  so  on. 

H ere  is  shown  an  unfinished  coat  of  arms  of  the 
Pitkin  family  which  belonged  to  Jerusha  Pitkin, 

who 


Needlecraft  and  Decorative  Arts  325 

who  was  born  in  1736.  The  frame  upon  which 
the  work  is  stretched,  the  manner  in  which  it  is 
mounted,  the  hand-made  nails  that  fasten  it,  the  way 
the  work  is  outlined,  are  all  of  interest.  The  needle 
still  is  thrust  in  the  black  satin  background  where 
it  was  left  by  girlish  hands  a century  and  a half  ago. 
Colored  silks,  gold  bullion  and  thread  to  complete 
this  work  have  been  preserved  with  it.  The  em- 
broidery is  on  black  satin,  and  is  lozenge-shaped, 
as  was  the  proper  shape  of  a hatchment  or  mourn- 
ing emblem  ; and  it  is  possible  that  this  work  was 
begun  as  a funeral  piece,  commemorative  of  some 
Pitkin  ancestor. 

Such  funeral  pieces  were  deemed  a very  dignified 
observance  of  respect  and  mark  of  affection.  They 
had  as  successors  what  were  definitely  termed 
“ mourning  pieces,”  bearing  stiff  presentments  of 
funeral  urns,  monuments,  drooping  willows,  and 
sometimes  a bowed  and  weeping  figure. 

After  the  death  of  Washington,  mourning  designs 
deploring  our  national  loss  and  significant  of  our 
affection  and  respect  for  that  honored  name  appeared 
in  vast  numbers.  Framed  prints  of  these  designs 
hung  on  every  wall,  table  china  in  large  numbers  and 
variety  bore  these  funereal  emblems,  and  laudatory 
and  sad  mottoes.  As  other  Revolutionary  heroes 
passed  away,  similar  designs  appeared  in  more  lim- 
ited 


,326  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

i t ed  numbers,  and  the  reign  of  embroidered  “ mourn- 
ing pieees  ” may  be  said  to  begin  at  this  time. 
Washington  — so  to  speak  — set  the  fashion.  Fa- 
miliarized with  the  hideous  Apotheosis  pitcher,  or 
the  gloomy  Washington’s  Tomb  teacups  as  set  on  a 
festal  board,  special  mourning  embroideries  did  not 
seem  oversad  for  decorative  purposes,  and  soon 
no  properly  ambitious  household  was  without  one. 
They  were  even  embroidered  when  the  family  circle 
was  unbroken,  and  an  empty  space  was  left  yawning 
like  an  open  grave  for  some  one  to  die.  Religious 
designs  were  also  eagerly  sought  tor.  The  Tree 
of  Life  was  a favorite.  A conventional  tree  was 
hung  at  wide  intervals  with  apples,  bearing  the 
names  of  various  virtues  and  estimable  traits  of 
humanity,  such  as  Honor,  Modesty,  Silence,  Pa- 
tience, etc.  The  sparse  harvest  of  these  emblematic 
fruits  seemed  to  indicate  a cynical  belief  in  scant 
nobility  of  nature  ; but  there  was  hope  of  improve- 
ment, for  a white-winged  angel  assiduously  watered 
the  roots  of  the  tree  with  a realistic  watering-pot. 

The  devil,  never  absent  in  that  day  from  art,  sci- 
ence, or  literature,  also  loomed  in  blackness  beneath 
the  branches,  but  sadly  handicapped  from  activity 
by  being  forced  to  carry  a colossal  pitchfork  and 
an  absolutely  unsurmountable  tail  of  gigantic  pro- 
portions. 


These 


Needlecraft  and  Decorative  Arts 


These  mourning  pieces 
were  but  decadent  suc- 
cessors of  the  significant 
heraldic  embroideries  of 
earlier  days.  We  passed 
through  trying  days  in 
art,  architecture,  and  cos- 
tume in  the  first  half  of 
this  century  ; and  it  was 
not  until  we  revived  the 
older  forms  of  embroid- 
ery, and  the  ancient 
stitches,  that  we  rallied 
from  the  blight  of  com- 
monplaceness and  senti- 
mentality which  seemed 
to  spread  over  everything. 

The  most  universal 
and  best-preserved  piece 
of  embroidery  done  by  our 
foremothers  was  the  sam- 
pler. These  were  known 
as  sampleths,  sam-cloths, 
saumplers,  and  sam- 
pleres ; the  titles  were 
all  derived  by  apheresis 
from  esampler,  exampleir. 

The 


Lora  Standish’s  Sampler 


328  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

The  sampler  “contrived  a double  debt  to  pay” 
of  teaching  letters  and  stitches ; it  was,  in  fact,  a 
needlework  hornbook,  containing  the  alphabet,  a 
verse  indicative  of  good  morals  or  industry,  or  a sen- 
tence from  the  Bible,  the  name  and  date,  and  some 
crude  representations  of  impossible  birds,  beasts, 
flowers,  trees,  or  human  beings.  Though  the  sam- 
pler’s reign  in  every  American  household  was  in  the 
eighteenth  century  and  the  earlier  years  of  the  nine- 
teenth, it  was  the  direct  successor  of  the  glories  of 
needlework  of  English  women  of  earlier  years,  which 
was  known  and  admired  on  the  Continent  as  Opus 
Anglicanum.  The  chief  excellency  of  English  needle- 
work has  even  been  closely  associated  with  a high 
state  of  social  morals.  In  Elizabeth’s  day  English- 
women still  loved  needlecraft.  Shakespeare,  Sid- 
ney, Milton,  Herrick,  all  refer  to  women’s  samplers. 
In  a collection  of  old  ballads  printed  in  1725  is  a 
“ A Short  and  Sweet  Sonnet  made  by  one  of  the 
Maids  of  Honour  upon  the  death  of  Q.  Eliza- 
beth, which  she  sewed  upon  a Sampler  of  Red 
Silk”  : — 

£<  Gone  is  Elizabeth  whom  we  have  loved  so  dear. 

She  our  kind  Mistress  was  full  four  and  Forty  Year, 
England  she  govern’d  well  not  to  be  blamed. 

Flanders  she  govern’d  well,  and  Ireland  famed. 

France  she  befriended,  Spain  she  had  toiled. 

Papists  rejected,  and  the  Pope  spoiled. 


To 


Needlecraft  and  Decorative  Arts 


329 

To  Princes  powerful,  to  the  IVorld  vertuous, 

To  her  Foes  merciful,  to  subjects  gracious. 

Her  Soul  is  in  Heaven,  the  World  keeps  her  glory. 

Subjects  her  good  deeds,  so  ends  my  Story.” 

In  the  licentious  days  of  King  James  and  King 
Charles  there  is  little  record  of  women’s  needle- 
work in  court  or  country,  but  the  Puritan  women, 
the  virtuous  home  makers,  revived  and  encouraged 
all  household  arts. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  as  a rule  the  long  and 
narrow  samplers  are  older  than  those  more  nearly 
square.  These  ancient  samplers,  especially  the  few 
bearing  dates  of  the  seventeenth  century,  are  much 
finer  in  design,  more  closely  worked,  and  better  in 
execution  than  those  of  later  date.  The  linen  back- 
ground is  much  more  closely  covered.  They  have 
more  curious  and  varied  stitches.  Occasionally  they 
are  of  minute  size,  but  four  or  five  inches  long,  with 
exquisitely  fine  stitches. 

Two  ancient  samplers  are  here  depicted.  One 
shown  on  page  327  was  made  by  Lora  Standish,  the 
daughter  of  a Pilgrim  Father,  and  it  is  now  at 
Pilgrim  Hall,  Plymouth.  The  interesting  and 
beautiful  sampler  known  as  the  Fleetwood-Ouincy 
Sampler  has  such  perfect  stitches  that  both  sides  are 
alike.  It  bears  the  names  Miles  and  Abigail  Fleet- 
wood,  and  the  date  1654.  It  has  been  in  the  pos- 


session 


330 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


session  of  Mrs.  H enrv 
Ouincy  and  her  descend- 
ants since  1750.  There 
is  little  doubt  that  the 
Miles  Fleetwood  of  the 
sampler  was  the  brother 
or  nephew  of  Charles 
Fleetwood  who  married 
Anne  Ireton,  eldest 
daughter  of  great  Crom- 
well. A splendid  piece 
of  Anne  Fleetwood’s  em- 
broidery was  recently  ex- 
hibited in  the  Kensington 
Museum.  It  was  scarcely 
a sampler  for  it  bore  a 
curious  design  in  applique 
work  of  a lozenge  formed 
by  four  right-angled  tri- 
angles, each  of  a different 
bit  of  rich  brocade  of  gold 
and  silver  figures  on  am- 
ber or  pink  ground;  all 
worked  together  with 
curious  vines  and  stitches. 
Miles  Fleetwood  clung 
to  the  royal  cause,  and 
thus 


Fleetwood-Quincy  Sampler 


Needlecraft  and  Decorative  Arts  331 

thus  fell  into  the  obscurity  hinted  at  in  the  sampler 
verses : — 

“In  prosperity  friends  will  be  plenty. 

But  in  adversity  not  one  in  twenty.” 

In  the  older  samplers  little  attention  is  paid  to 
the  representation  of  things  in  their  real  colors  ; a 
green  horse  may  balance  a blue  tree.  And  as  flat 
tints  were  used  there  were  few  effects  of  light  and 
shade,  and  no  perspective.  Distance  is  indicated  by 
a different  color  of  worsted  ; thus  the  green  horse 
will  have  his  off  legs  worked  in  red.  This  is 
precisely  the  method  used  in  the  Bayeux  Tapestry 
and  other  antique  embroideries. 

Sampler  verses  had  their  times  and  seasons,  and 
ran  through  families.  They  were  eagerly  copied 
for  young  friends,  and,  in  a few  cases,  were  “ natu- 
ral composures” — or,  as  we  should  say  to-day, 
“ original  compositions.”  Ruth  Gray  of  Salem  em- 
broidered on  her  sampler  a century  ago:  — 

“Next  unto  God,  dear  Parents,  I address 
Myself  to  you  in  humble  Thankfulness. 

For  all  your  Care  and  Charge  on  me  bestow’d. 

The  means  of  learning  unto  me  allowed. 

Go  on  ! I pray,  and  let  me  still  Pursue 
Such  Golden  Arts  the  Vulgar  never  knew.” 

To  show  the  extent  to  which  those  lines  could  be 
transmitted  let.  me  state  that  they  are  found  on  a 

sampler 


332 


Child  Lite  in  Colonial  Days 


sampler  in  Dorchester,  Massachusetts,  worked  in 
1802,  one  in  Waltham,  Massachusetts,  one  worked 
in  1813  in  a seminary  in  Boston,  one  in  Medford, 
one  worked  in  1790  in  Salem  by  a young  girl  of 
ten,  another  in  Lynn,  on  an  English  sampler  in 
the  Kensington  Museum,  and  in  the  diary  of 
that  Boston  schoolgirl,  Anna  Green  Winslow,  dated 
177 1 • 

There  were  certain  variants  of  a popular  sampler 
verse  that  ran  thus  : — 

“ This  is  my  Sampler, 

Here  you  see 
What  care  my  Mother 
Took  of  me.” 

Another  rhyme  was  : — 

“ Mary  Jackson  is  my  name, 

America  my  nation, 

Boston  is  my  dwelling  place. 

And  Christ  is  my  salvation.” 

The  doxology,  “ From  all  that  dwell  below  the 
skies,”  etc.,  appears  on  samplers  ; and  these  lines:  — 

“ Though  life  is  fair 
And  pleasure  young, 

And  Love  on  ev’ry 
Shepherd’s  Tongue, 

I turn  my  thoughts 
To  serious  things. 

Life  is  ever  on  the  wing.” 


Another 


Needlecraft  and  Decorative  Arts 


333 


Another  rhyme  is  found  with  varying  words  in 
some  of  the  lines:  — 

“Young  Ladyes  fair  when  youthful  minds  incline 
To  all  that’s  curious.  Innocent,  and  fine 
With  Admiration  let  your  worke  be  made 
The  various  textures  and  the  twining  thread 
Then  let  your  fingers  with  unrivalled  skill 
Exalt  the  Needle,  Grace  the  noble  Ouill.” 

Some  of  the  verses  are  as  short  as  the  scant  but 
sweet  English  words  on  the  sampler  of  Katherine, 
the  wife  of  Charles  II.  : — 

“ 2 ist  of  Maye 

Was  our  Wedding  Daye.” 

A sampler  in  the  Old  South  Church  in  Boston 
has  this  inscription  : — 

“ Dorothy  Lynde  is  my  Name 
And  this  Work  is  mine 
My  Friends  may  have 
When  I am  Dead  and  laid  in  Grave 
This  Needlework  of  mine  can  tell 
That  in  my  youth  I learned  well 
And  by  my  elders  also  taught 
Not  to  spend  my  time  for  naught.” 

In  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries  it  was 
high  fashion  to  have  mottoes  and  texts  carved  or 
painted  on  many  articles  where  they  would  frequently 

catch 


334  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

catch  the  eye.  Printed  books  were  then  rare  pos- 
sessions, and  these  mottoes,  whether  of  vanity  or 


Polly  Coggeshall’s  Sampler 

piety,  took  their  place.  Perhaps  inscriptions  on 
various  pieces  of  tableware  and  drinking  utensils 
were  the  most  common.  Specially  beautiful  and  in- 
teresting 


Needlecraft  and  Decorative  Arts  335 

teresting  early  examples  are  the  sets  ot  “ beechen 
roundels  ” known  to  collectors ; that  is,  sets  of 
wooden  plates  or  trenchers  carved  with  mottoes. 
Women  dexterous  of  the  needle  embroidered  mot- 
toes and  words  on  articles  of  clothing.  Whole 
texts  of  the  Bible  are  said  to  have  been  inscribed 
on  the  edges  ot  gowns  and  petticoats. 

“ She  is  a Puritan  at  her  needle  too 
She  works  religious  petticoats.” 

Fdaborate  vines  of  flowers  and  other  scroll  designs 
were  worked  on  petticoats,  often  in  colored  crewels. 
There  still  exists  the  linen  petticoat  of  Rebecca 
Taylor  Orne,  a Salem  dame  who  lived  to  be  one 
hundred  and  twenty  years  old.  It  is  deeply  em- 
broidered with  trees,  vines,  dowers,  and  fruits,  on 
homespun  linen.  Silk  petticoats  were  also  em- 
broidered and  painted  by  young  girls,  and  are  beauti- 
ful pieces  of  work. 

In  New  York  newspapers  we  find  proof  that  New 
York  girls  were  taught  decorative  accomplishments 
similar  to  those  which  were  so  fashionable  in 
Boston  : — 

“ Martha  Gazley,  late  from  Great  Britain,  now  in  the 
city  of  New  York  Makes  and  Teacheth  the  following  curi- 
ous Works,  viz:  Artificial  Fruit  and  Flowers  and  other 

Wax-works, 


33  6 


Child  Lite  in  Colonial  Days 


Flowered  Apron 

Wax-Works,  Nuns-work,  Phi lligree  and  Pencil  Work  upon 
Muslin,  all  sorts  of  Needle-Work,  and  Raising  of  Paste, 
as  also  to  Paint  upon  Glass,  and  Transparent  for  Sconces, 
with  other  Works.  If  any  young  Gentlewomen,  or  others 
are  inclined  to  learn  any  or  all  of  the  above-mentioned 
curious  Works,  they  may  be  carefully  instructed  in  the 
same  by  said  Martha  Gazley.” 

The  waxwork  of  Martha  Gazley  was  more  fully 
detailed  in  a school  advertisement  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Wil- 
son of  Philadelphia.  She  taught  “waxworks  in  all  its 
branches  ” ; flowers,  fruit,  and  pin-baskets,  also  “ how 
to  take  profiles  in  wax.”  'Phis  latter  was  distinctly 
artwork;  and  portraits  of  Washington  and  other 
Revolutionary  heroes  still  exist  in  wax  — a material 
that  could  be  worked  with  facility;  but  was  very 
perishable. 


A 


Needlecraft  and  Decorative  Arts  337 

A very  full  list  of  old-time  stitches  has  come 
down  to  us,  and  curiously  enough  not  from  any 


Mary  Richards’  Sampler 


woman  who  worked  these  stitches  but  from  the  pen 
of  a man,  John  Taylor,  “ the  Water-Poet,”  in  his 
Praise  of  the  Needle , 1640. 


“ For 


338  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

“For  Tent-worke,  Rais’d-work,  Laid-worke,  Frost-worke,  Net- 
worke. 

Most  curious  Purles,  or  rare  Italian  Cut-worke, 

Fine  Ferne-stitch,  Finny-stitch,  New-stitch  and  Chain-stitch 
Brave  Bred-stitch,  Fisher-stitch,  Irish-stitch  and  Oueen-stitch 
The  Spanish-stitch,  Rosemary-stitch  and  Mouse-stitch 
The  smarting  Whip-stitch,  Back-stitch  and  the  Cross-stitch 
All  these  are  good,  and  these  we  must  allow. 

And  these  are  everywhere  in  practise  now.” 

They  were  doubtless  “everywhere  in  practice,” 
in  America  as  well,  but  nearly  all  are  now  but  empty 
names. 

While  Dutch  women  must  be  awarded  the  palm 
ot  comfortable  and  attractive  housekeeping,  they  did 
not  excel  Englishwomen  in  needlework;  though 
the  first  gold  thimble  was  made  for  Madam 
Van  Rensselaer,  the  foremother  of  our  American 
patroons  ; and  many  beautiful  specimens  of  Dutch 
embroidery  exist.  A sample  is  here  shown  which 
was  worked  by  Mary  Richards,  a granddaughter  oi 
the  famous  Anneke  Jans.  Mrs.  Van  Cortlandt 
wrote  in  her  delightful  account  of  home  life  in  old 
New  York  : — 

“ Crewel-work  and  silk-embroidery  were  fashionable,  and 
surprisingly  pretty  effects  were  produced.  Every  little 
maiden  had  her  sampler  which  she  begun  with  the  alphabet 
and  numerals,  following  them  with  a Scriptural  text  or  verse 
of  a psalm.  Then  fancy  was  let  loose  on  birds,  beasts  and 

trees. 


Needlecraft  and  Decorative  Arts  339 

trees.  Most  of  the  old  families  possessed  framed  pieces  of 
embroidery,  the  handiwork  of  female  ancestors.” 

Pride  in  needlework,  and  a longing  tor  household 
decoration,  found  expression  in  quilt-piecing.  Bits 
of  calico  “ chiney  ” or  chintz  were  carefully  shaped 
by  older  hands,  and  sewed  by  diligent  little  fingers 
into  many  fanciful  designs.  A Job’s  Trouble, 
made  of  hexagon  pieces,  could  be  neatly  done  by 
little  children,  but  more  complicated  designs  required 
more  “judgement,”  and  the  age  of  a little  daughter 
might  be  accurately  guessed  by  her  patchwork.  The 
quilt-making  was  the  work  of  older  folk.  It  re- 
quired long  arms,  larger  hands,  greater  strength. 

Knitting  was  taught  to  little  girls  as  soon  as  they 
could  hold  the  needles.  Girls  four  years  of  age 
could  knit  stockings  and  mittens.  In  country  house- 
holds young  damsels  knit  mittens  to  sell  and  coarse 
socks.  Many  fine  and  beautiful  stitches  were  taught, 
and  a beautiful  pair  of  long  silk  stockings  of  open- 
work design  has  initials  knit  on  the  instep.  They 
were  the  wedding  hose  of  a bride  of  the  year  1760  ; 
and  the  silk  for  them  was  raised,  wound,  and  spun 
by  the  bride’s  sister,  a girl  of  fourteen,  who  also  did 
the  exquisite  knitting. 

Lace-making  was  never  an  industry  in  the  colo- 
nies ; it  was  an  elegant  accomplishment.  Pillow 
lace  was  made,  and  the  stitches  were  taught  in  fami- 
lies 


340 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


lies  of  wealth  ; a guinea  a stitch  was  charged  by  some 
teachers.  Old  lace  pillows  have  been  preserved  to 
this  day,  with  strips  of  unfinished  lace  and  hanging 


Old  Lace  Pillow,  Reels  and  Pockets 


bobbins,  to  show  the  kind  of  lace  which  was  the 
mode  — a thread  lace  much  like  the  fine  Swiss  hand- 
made laces. 


'Tambour 


Needlecraft  and  Decorative  Arts  341 

Tambour  work  on  muslin  or  lace,  and  a lace  made 
of  certain  designs  darned  on  net,  took  the  place  of 
pillow  lace.  Nothing  could  be  more  beautiful  in 
execution  and  design  than  the  rich  veils,  collars, 
and  caps  of  this  worked  net,  which  remained  the 
mode  during  the  early  years  of  this  century.  Girls 
spent  years  working  on  a single  collar  or  tucker. 
Sometimes  medallions  of  this  net  lace  were  em- 
broidered down  upon  fine  linen  lawn. 

I have  infants’  caps  of  this  beauti- 
ful work,  finer  than  any 
needlework  of 
to-day. 


CHAPTER  XVII 


GAMES  AND  PASTIMES 


The  plays  of  children  are  nonsense  — but  very  educative  nonsense, 
— Essay  on  Experience.  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson , i860. 


HERE  are  no  more  striking;  survivals  of 


children.  We  have  no  historians  of  old- 


time  child  life  to  tell  us  of  these  games,  but  we  can 
get  side  glimpses  of  that  life  which  reveal  to  us,  as 
Ruskin  says,  more  light  than  a broad  stare.  Many 
of  these  games  were  originally  religious  observances  ; 
but  there  are  scores  that  in  their  present  purpose  of 
simple  amusement  date  from  mediaeval  days. 

The  chronicler  Eroissart,  in  L’ Espinette  Amou- 
reuse , tells  of  the  sports  of  his  early  life,  over  five 
centuries  ago  : — 


“In  that  early  childish  day 
I was  never  tired  to  play 
Games  that  children  everyone 
Love  until  twelve  years  are  done. 
To  dam  up  a rivulet 
With  a tile,  or  else  to  let 


iJLKtt  are  no  more  striking  survivals  ot 
antiquity  than  the  games  and  pastimes  of 


342 


Games  and  Pastimes 


343 


A small  saucer  for  a boat 
Down  the  purling  gutter  float : 

Over  two  bricks  at  a will 
To  erect  a water  mill. 

“In  those  days  for  dice  and  chess 
Cared  we  busy  children  less 
Than  mud-pies  and  buns  to  make. 

And  heedfully  in  oven  bake. 

Of  four  bricks  ; and  when  came  Lent 
Out  was  brought  a complement 
Of  river  shells  from  secret  hold. 

Estimated  above  gold. 

To  play  away  as  I thought  meet 
With  the  children  of  our  street.” 

cc  The  children  of  our  street  ” has  a delightfully 
familiar  ring.  He  also  names  many  familiar  games, 
such  as  playing  ball,  ring,  prisoner’s  base,  riddles, 
and  blowing  soap-bubbles.  Top-spinning  was  an 
ancient  game,  even  in  Froissart’s  day,  having  been 
played  in  old  Rome  and  the  Orient  since  time  im- 
memorial. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  the  persistent  survival  of 
games  which  are  seldom  learned  from  printed  rules, 
but  are  simply  told  from  child  to  child  from  year 
to  year.  On  the  sidewalk,  in  front  of  my  house,  is 
now  marked  out  with  chalk  the  lines  tor  a game  of 
hop-scotch  and  a group  of  children  are  playing  it, 

precisely 


3 44 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


precisely  as  I played  it  in  my  New  England  home 
in  my  childhood,  and  as  my  grandfathers  and  grand- 
mothers played  “ Scotch-hoppers  ” in  their  day. 

In  a little  century-old  picture  book,  called  Youth- 
ful Recreations,  Scotch-hoppers  is  named  and  vaguely 
explained,  and  a note  says  : — 

“This  exercise  was  frequently  practiced  by  the  Greeks 
and  Spartan  women.  Might  it  not  be  useful  in  the  present 
day  to  prevent  children  having  chilblains  ? ” 

Now  isn’t  that  stupid?  Every  one  knows  hop- 
scotch time  is  not  in  the  winter  when  the  ground  is 
rough  and  frozen  or  wet  with  snow  and  when  chil- 
blains are  rife.  It  is  a game  for  the  hard,  solid 
earth,  or  a sunny  pavement. 

The  variants  of  tag  have  descended  to  us  and 
are  played  to-day,  just  as  they  were  played  when 
Boston  and  New  York  streets  were  lanes  and  cow- 
paths.  The  pretty  game,  “ I catch  you  without 
green,”  mentioned  by  Rabelais,  is  well  known  in 
the  Carolinas,  whither  it  was  carried  by  French 
Eluguenot  immigrants,  who  retained  many  of  their 
home  customs  as  well  as  their  language  for  so  long 
a time.  Stone-tag  and  wood-tag  took  the  place 
in  America  of  the  tag  on  iron  of  Elizabeth’s  day. 
Squat-tag  and  cross-tag  have  their  times  and  sea- 
sons, and  in  Philadelphia  tell-tag  is  also  played. 

Pickadill 


Games  and  Pastimes 


345 


(pickadill  is  a winter  sport,  a tag  played  in  the  snow. 
Another  tag  game  known  as  poison,  or  stone' 
poison,  is  where  the  player  is  tagged  it  he  steps 
off  stones.  The  little  books  on  etiquette  so  fre- 
quently read  in  the  seventeenth  century,  and  quoted 
in  other  pages  of  this  book,  have  this  severe  injunc- 
tion, “Tread  not  pomposely  on  pebblestones  tor  it 


“Scotch  Hoppers,”  from  Juvenile  Games  for  the  .{Jour  Seasons 

is  the  art  of  a fool.”  A man  who  was  not  a fool, 
one  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson,  was  swayed  in  his  walk 
by  similar  notions. 

Honey  pots  still  is  played  by  American  chil- 
dren. Halliwell  says  the  “honey  pot”  was  a boy 
rolled  up  in  a certain  stiff  position.  I have  seen  it 
played  by  two  girls  carrying  a third  in  a “ chair  ” 
made  by  crossing  hands.  In  a popular  little  book 

of 


346 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

of  the  last  century  called  Juvenile  Pastimes,  or  Sports 
for  Four  Seasons,  the  illustration  shows  girls  playing 
it.  The  explanatory  verse  reads  : — 

“ Carry  your  Honey  pot  safe  and  sound 
Or  it  will  fall  upon  the  Ground.” 

A truly  historic  game  taught  by  children  to  each 
other,  is  what  is  called  cats-cradle  or  cratch-cradle. 
One  player  stretches  a length  of  looped  cords  over 
the  extended  fingers  of  both  hands  in  a symmetrical 
form.  The  second  player  inserts  the  fingers  and 
removes  the  cord  without  dropping  the  loops  in 
a way  to  produce  another  figure.  These  various 
figures  had  childish  titles.  If  Hone’s  derivation  of 
the  game  and  its  meaning  is  true,  cratch-cradle  is  the 
correct  name.  A cratch  was  a grated  crib  or  manger. 
The  adjustment  of  threads  purported  to  represent 
the  manger  or  cradle  wherein  the  infant  Saviour  was 
laid  by  his  Virgin  Mother.  As  little  girls  “take 
off  ” the  cradle  they  say,  “ criss-cross,  criss-cross.” 
This  like  the  criss-cross  row  in  the  hornbook  was 
originally  Christ’s  cross. 

In  a quaint  little  book  called  The  Pretty  Little 
Pocket  Book,  published  in  America  at  Revolution- 
ary times,  is  a list  of  boys’  games  with  dingy  pic- 
tures showing  how  the  games  were  played ; the 
names  given  were  chuck-farthing;  ' kite-flying; 

dancing 


Old  Skates 


Games  and  Pastimes 


347 


dancing  round  May-pole ; marbles ; hoop  and 
hide  ; thread  the  needle;  fishing;  blindman’s  buff- 
shuttlecock  ; king  am  I ; peg-farthing ; knock  out 
and  span ; hop,  skip,  and  jump  ; boys  and  girls 
come  out  to  play  ; I sent  a letter  to  my  love ; 
cricket ; stool-ball ; base-ball  ; trap-ball ; swimming  ; 
tip-cat;  train-banding;  fives;  leap-frog ; bird-nest- 
ing; hop-hat;  shooting;  hop-scotch;  squares;  rid- 
ing ; rosemary  tree.  The  descriptions  of  the  games 
are  given  in  rhyme,  and  to  each  attached  a moral 
lesson  in  verse.  Some  of  the  verses  read  thus  : — 

“ CHUCK-FARTHING 
“As  you  value  your  Pence 

At  tiie  Hole  take  your  Aim. 

Chuck  all  safely  in. 

And  You’ll  win  the  Game. 

MORAL. 

“ Chuck-Farthing  like  Trade, 

Requires  great  Care. 

The  more  you  observe 
The  better  you’ll  fare.” 

A few  of  the  games  are  to-day  unknown,  or  little 
known  ; for  instance,  the  game  called  in  the  book 
“ Pitch  and  Hussel.” 

“ Poise  your  hand  fairly. 

Pitch  plumb  your  Slat. 

Then  shake  for  all  Heads 
Turn  down  the  Hat.” 


The 


348  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

The  game  called  “ All  the  birds  of  the  air,” 
reads  : — 

“ Here  various  boys  stand  round  and  soon 
Does  each  some  favorite  bird  assume  ; 

And  if  the  Slave  once  hits  his  name. 

He’s  then  made  free  and  crowns  the  game.” 

Mr.  Newell  has  given  a list  and  description  of 
many  of  the  historic  singing  games  and  rounds  of 
American  children.  These  were  known  to  me  in  my 
childhood:  “ Here  we  go  round  the  mulberry  bush 
“ H ere  come  three  Lords  out  of  Spain;”  “On  the 
green  carpet  here  we  stand  ; ” “ I’ve  come  to  see  Miss 
’Ginia  Jones;”  “ Little  Sally  Waters,  sitting  in  the 
sun  ; ” “ Green  gravel,  green  gravel,  the  grass  is  so 
green;”  “Old  Uncle  John  is  very  sick,  what  shall 
we  send  him?”  “Oats,  pease,  beans  and  barley 
grows;”  “When  I was  a shoemaker;”  “Here  I 
brew,  H ere  I bake,  Here  I make  my  Wedding 
Cake;”  “The  needle’s  eye  that  doth  supply;” 
“Soldier  Brown  will  you  marry,  marry  me?”  “O 
dear  Doctor  don’t  you  cry;”  “There’s  a rose  in 
the  garden  for  you,  young  man;”  “Ring  around 
a rosy;”  “Go  round  and  round  the  valley;” 
“ Quaker,  Quaker,  How  art  thee  ? ” “I  put  my 
right  foot  in;  ” “ My  master  sent  me  to  you,  sir;  ” 
“London  Bridge  is  falling  down.” 


Some 


Games  and  Pastimes 


3 49 


Some  of  these  rhymes  were  founded  on  certain 
lines  of  ballads;  but  without  any  printed  words 
or  music  we  all  knew  them  well,  and  the  music 
was  the  same  that  our  mothers  used  — though  our 
mothers  had  not  taught  us.  To-day  children  all 
over  the  country  are  singing  and  playing  these 
games  to  the  same  music.  I heard  verse  after 


verse  of  London  Bridge  sung  in  a high  key  in  the 
shrill  voices  of  the  children  of  a New  Hampshire 
country  school  this  winter.  Such  a survival  in 
such  an  environment  is  not  strange  ; but  it  is  sur- 
prising and  pathetic,  too,  to  hear  in  a public  primary 
or  a parochial  'school  the  children  of  German,  Italian, 
or  Irish  parentage  chanting  “ Green  gravel,  green 
gravel,  the  grass  is  so  green,”  within  the  damp  and 

dingy 


35°  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

dingy  yard  walls  or  in  the  basement  playrooms  of 
our  greatest  city. 

The  Dutch  settlers  had  many  games.  They  were 
very  fond  of  bowling  on  the  grass;  a well-known 
street  in  New  York,  Bowling  Green,  shows  the 
popularity  of  the  game  and  where  it  was  played. 
They  played  “ tick-tack,”  a complicated  sort  of 
backgammon  ; and  trock,  on  a table  somewhat 
like  a billiard  table;  in  it  an  ivory  ball  was  struck 
under  wire-wickets  with  a cue.  Coasting  down 
hill  became  a most  popular  sport.  Manv  attempts 
were  made  to  control  and  stop  the  coasters.  At 
one  time  the  Albany  constables  were  ordered  to 
take  the  “ small  or  great  slees  ” in  which  “ boys 
and  girls  ryde  down  the  hills,”  and  break  them  in 
pieces.  At  another  time  the  boy  had  to  forfeit 
his  hat  if  he  were  caught  coasting  on  Sunday.  The 
sleds  were  low,  with  a rope  in  front,  and  were 
started  and  guided  by  a sharp  stick. 

There  is  a Massachusetts  law  of  the  year  1633 
against  “ common  coasters,  unprofitable  fowlers  and 
tobacco-takers,”  — - three  classes  of  detrimentals. 
Mr.  Ernst  says  coasting  meant  loafing  along  the 
shore,  then  idling  in  general,  then  sliding  down  hill 
for  fun.  In  Canada  they  slid  down  the  long  hills 
on  toboggans.  In  New  England  they  used  a double 
runner,  a long  narrow  board  platform  on  two  sleds 


or 


Games  and  Pastimes 


351 


or  two  sets  of  runners.  Judge  Sewall  speaks  of  his 
little  daughter  going  out  on  sleds,  but  there  is  noth- 
ing to  indicate  precisely  what  he  meant  thereby. 

“ Sports  ot  the  Innyards  ” languished  in  New 
England.  Innkeepers  were  ordered  not  to  permit 
the  playing  of  “Dice,  Cards,  Tables,  Quoits,  Log- 
gats,  Bowls,  Ninepins,  or  any  other  Unlawful  Game 
in  house,  yard,  Garden  or  backside.”  Slide-groat 
was  also  forbidden.  Mr.  Henry  Cabot  Lodge  says 
the  ^hovel-board  ot  Shakespeare’s  day  was  almost  the 
only  game  that  was  tolerated.  Phis  game  was  per- 
haps the  most  popular  of  old-time  domestic  pas- 
times, and  was  akin  to  slide-groat. 

I found  nothing  to  indicate  that  the  cruel  sport 
known  as  cock-throwing,  cock-steling,  or  cock- 
squoiling  ever  prevailed  in  America.  In  this  sport 
the  cock  was  tied  by  a short  cord  to  a stake,  and 
boys  at  a distance  of  twenty  yards  took  turns  at 
throwing  sticks  at  him  till  he  was  killed.  This 
sport  was  as  old  as  Chaucer’s  time,  and  universal 
among  the  English. 

Judge  Sewall  wrote  of  Shrove  Tuesday  in  Bosron 
in  1685  that  there  was  great  disorder  in  Boston  by 
reason  of  “ cock-skailing.”  Another  year  he  tells 
ot  a young  lad  going  through  Boston  streets  “ car- 
rying a cock  on  his  back  and  a bell  in  his  hand.” 
Several  friends  followed  him,  loosely  blindfolded  and 


carrying 


352  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

carrying  cart  whips  ; and  under  pretence  of  striking 
at  him  managed  to  distribute  their  blows  with  sting- 
ing force  on  the  gaping  crowd  around.  This  was 
an  old  English  custom.  At  a later  date  the  sport 
of  shying  at  leaden  cocks  prevailed.  The  “ dumps  ” 
which  were  thrown,  and  the  crude  little  images  of  lead 
and  pewter  shaped  like  a cock,  were  often  made  and 
sold  by  apprentices  as  part  of  their  perquisites, 
i,  Cock-fighting  was  popular  in  the  Southern  colo- 
nies and  New  York.  There  are  prohibitions  against 
it  in  the  rules  of  William  and  Mary  College.  Cer- 
tainly it  was  not  encouraged  or  permitted  here  as 
in  English  schools,  where  boys  had  cock-fights  in 
the  schoolroom  ; and  where  that  great  teacher, 
Roger  Ascham,  impoverished  himself  with  dicing 
and  cock-fighting.  Cock-fights  were  often  held  on 
Shrove  Tuesday.  The  picture  of  Colonel  Richard 
Wynkoop,  shown  on  the  opposite  page,  was  painted 
when  he  was  twelve  years  old;  the  dim  figures  of 
two  fighting  cocks  can  be  seen  by  his  side.  They 
are  obscured  by  the  sword  which  the  colonel  carried 
during  the  Revolution,  and  which  is  thrust  in  front 
of  the  picture.  The  cruel  Dutch  sport  of  riding 
for  the  goose,  was  riding  at  full  speed  to  catch  a 
swinging  greased  goose.  Young  lads  sometimes 
took  part  in  this,  but  no  small  boys, 
in  The  Sc  hole  of  Vertue , 1557,  we  read  : — 


“ O, 


Cornelius  D.  Wynkoop,  Eight  Years  Old,  1742 


Games  and  Pastimes 


353 


“ O,  Lytle  childe,  eschew  thou  ever  game 
For  that  hath  brought  many  one  to  shame. 

As  dysing,  and  cardynge,  and  such  other  playes 
Which  many  undoeth,  as  we  see  nowe-a-dayes.” 

Playing  cards  were  fiercely  hated,  and  their  sale 
prohibited  in  Puritan  communities,  but  games  of 
cards  could  not  be  “beaten  down.”  Grown  folk 
had  a love  of'  card-playing  and  gaming  which  seemed 
almost  hereditary.  But  I do  not  believe  young 
children  indulged  much  in  card-playing  in  any  of 
the  colonies. 

William  Bradford,  then  governor  of  the  colony  at 
Plymouth,  thus  grimly  records  in  his  now  famous 
Log-book,  the  first  Christmas  Day  in  that  settle- 
ment : — 

u The  day  called  Christmas  Day  ye  Govr  cal’d  them 
out  to  worke  (as  was  used)  but  ye  moste  of  this  new  com- 
pany excused  themselves,  and  saide  y4  went  against  their 
consciences  to  work  on  y4  Day.  So  ye  Gov1'  tould  them 
that  if  they  made  it  mater  of  conscience,  he  would  spare 
them  till  they  were  better  informed.  So  he  led  away  ye 
rest  and  left  them ; but  when  they  came  home  at  noon 
from  their  work  he  found  them  in  ye  street  at  play  openly, 
some  pitching  ye  bar,  and  some  at  stoolball  and  such  like 
sports.  So  he  went  to  them  and  took  away  their  imple- 
ments and  tould  them  it  was  against  his  conscience  that 
they  should  play  and  others  work.” 


2 A 


The 


354 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


The  exact  description  of  this  game  1 do  not  know. 
Dr.  Johnson  says  it  is  a play  where  balls  are  driven 
from  stool  to  stool,  which  may  be  a good  definition, 
but  is  a very  poor  explanation. 

The  Pretty  Little  Pocket  Book  says  vaguely:  — 

“The  ball  once  struck  with  Art  and  Care 
And  drove  impetuous  through  the  Air, 

Swift  round  his  Course  the  Gamester  flies 
Or  his  Stools  are  taken  by  surprise.” 

At  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century  a French 
traveller,  named  Misson,  wrote  a very  vivacious 
account  of  his  travels  in  England.  He  sagely  noted 
English  customs,  fashions,  attributes,  and  manners  ; 
and  airily  discoursed  on  the  English  game  of  foot- 
ball: — 

u In  winter  football  is  a useful  and  charming  exercise. 
It  is  a leather  ball  about  as  big  as  one’s  head,  fill’d  with 
wind.  This  is  kick’d  about  from  one  to  tother  in  the 
streets,  by  him  that  can  get  it,  and  that  is  all  the  art  of  it.” 

That  is  all  the  art  of  it ! I can  imagine  the  sen- 
timents of  the  general  reader  of  that  day  (if  any 
general  reader  existed  in  England  at  that  time), 
when  he  read  and  noted  the  debonair  simplicity  of 
this  brief  account  of  what  was  even  then  a game  of 
so  much  importance  in  England.  The  proof  that 
Misson  was  truly  ignorant  of  this  subject  is  shown 

in 


Games  and  Pastimes 


355 


in  the  fact  that  he  could  by  any  stretch  of  an 
author’s  privileged  imagination  call  the  English 
game  of  foot-ball 
of  that  day  “a 
useful  and  charm- 
ing exercise.  ” 

Nothing  could  be 
further  from  the 
Englishman’s  in- 
tent than  to  make 
it  either  profitable 
or  pleasing. 

In  the  year 
1583  a Puritan, 
named  Phillip 
Stubbes,  horror- 
stricken  and  sore 
afraid  at  the  many 
crying  evils  and 
wickednesses 
which  were  rife 
in  England,  pub-  Page  from  Youthfu' Sports 

lished  a book  which  he  called  The  Anatomie  of  Abuses. 
It  was  “ made  dialogue-wise,”  and  is  one  of  the  most 
distinct  contributions  to  our  knowledge  of  Shake- 
speare’s England.  Written  in  racy,  spirited  Eng- 
lish, it  is  unsparing  in  denunciations  of  the  public 

and 


356 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


and  private  evils  of  the  day.  His  characterization 
of  the  game  ot  foot-ball  is  one  of  the  strongest  and 
most  fearless  of  his  accusations  : — 

“ Now  who  is  so  grosly  blinde  that  seeth  not  that  these 
aforesaid  exercises  not  only  withdraw  us  from  godliness  and 
virtue,  but  also  haile  and  allure  us  to  wickednesse  and  sin  ? 
For  as  concerning  football  playing  I protest  unto  you  that 
it  may  rather  be  called  a friendlie  kinde  of  fyghte  than  a 
plav  or  recreation  — a bloody  and  murthering  practice  than 
a felowly  sport  or  pastime.  For  dooth  not  everyone  lye  in 
waight  for  his  adversarie,  seeking  to  overthrowe  him  and 
picke  him  on  his  nose,  though  it  be  uppon  hard  stones,  in 
ditch  or  dale,  in  valley  or  hill,  or  whatever  place  soever  it 
be  hee  careth  not,  so  hee  have  him  downe ; and  he  that 
can  serve  the  most  of  this  fashion  he  is  counted  the  only 
fellow,  and  who  but  he  ? ...  So  that  by  this  means 
sometimes  their  necks  are  broken,  sometimes  their  backs, 
sometimes  their  legs,  sometimes  their  armes,  sometimes 
their  noses  gush  out  with  blood,  sometimes  their  eyes  start 
out,  and  sometimes  hurte  in  one  place,  sometimes  in  an- 
other. But  whosoever  scapeth  away  the  best  goeth  not 
scot  free,  but  is  either  forewounded,  craised,  or  bruised,  so 
as  he  dyeth  of  it  or  else  scapeth  very  hardlie  ; and  no  mer- 
vaile,  for  they  have  the  sleights  to  meet  one  betwixt  two, 
to  dash  him  against  the  hart  with  their  elbowes,  to  hit  him 
under  the  short  ribs  with  their  griped  fists  and  with  their 
knees  to  catch  him  on  the  hip  and  pick  him  on  his  neck, 
with  a hundred  such  murthering  devices.” 


This 


Stephen  Row  Bradley,  1800,  circa 


' 


\ 


Games  and  Pastimes 


357 


This  was  written  three  hundred  years  ago,  and 
these  are  not  the  words  of  a modern  reporter,  “They 
have  sleights  to  meet  one  betwixt  two,  to  dash  him 
against  the  heart  with  their  elbows,  to  hit  him  under 
the  short  ribs  with  their  griped  fists,  and  with  their 
knees  to  catch  him  on  the  hip  and  pick  him  on  the 
neck.” 

Stubbes  may  be  set  down  by  many  as  a sour- 
visaged,  sour-voiced  Puritan  ; but  a very  gracious 
courtier  of  his  day,  an  intelligent  and  thoughtful 
man,  Sir  Thomas  Elyot,  was  equally  severe  on  the 
game.  He  wrote,  in  1537,  The  Boke  named  the  Gou- 
vernour , full  of  sensible  advice  and  instruction.  In 
it  he  says  : — 

“ Foot-ball  wherein  is  nothynge  but  beastlye  furie  and 
exstreme  violence,  whereof  proceedeth  hurte ; and  con- 
sequently malice  and  rancour  do  remayne  with  them  that 
be  wounded  ; whereof  it  is  to  be  putt  in  perpetuall  silence.” 

The  “ perpetuall  silence  ” which  he  put  on  the 
game  has  not  fallen  even  by  the  end  of  three  cen- 
turies and  a half. 

Some  indirect  testimony  as  to  the  character  of  the 
English  game  comes  from  travellers  in  the  American 
colonies,  where  the  American  Indians  were  found 
playing  a game  of  foot-ball  like  that  of  their  white 
brothers.  John  Dunton,  travelling  in  New  England 

when 


35^ 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


when  Boston  was  half  a century  old,  tells  of  the 
Indians’  game  : — 

“ There  was  that  day  a great  game  of  Foot-ball  to  be 
played.  There  was  another  Town  played  against  ’em  as 
is  sometimes  common  in  England;  but  they  played  with 
their  bare  feet,  which  I thought  very  odd;  but  it  was  upon 
a broad  sandy  Shoar  free  from  Stones  which  made  it  the 
more  easie.  Neither  were  they  so  apt  to  trip  up  one  an- 
other’s heels  and  quarrel  as  I have  seen  ’em  in  England.” 

At  the  same  time  English  boys  were  kicking  the 
loot-ball  around  Boston  streets,  and  were  getting 
themselves  complained  of  by  game-hating  Puritan 
neighbors,  and  enjoined  by  pragmatical  magistrates, 
just  as  they  were  in  English  towns. 

Fewer  games  are  played  now  by  both  boys  and 
girls  than  in  former  times,  in  England  as  well 
as  America.  In  a manuscript  list  of  games  played 
at  Eton  in  1765  are  these  titles:  cricket,  fives, 
shirking  walls,  scrambling  walls,  bally  cally,  battle- 
dore, pegtop,  peg  in  the  ring,  goals,  hop-scotch, 
heading,  conquering  cobs,  hoops,  marbles,  trap  ball, 
steal  baggage,  puss  in  the  corner,  cat  gallows,  kites, 
cloyster  and  hyer  gigs,  tops,  humming  tops,  hunt 
the  hare,  hunt  the  dark  lanthorn,  chuck,  sinks,  stare- 
caps,  hurtlecap.  No  games  are  now  recognized  at 
Eton  save  cricket,  foot-ball,  and  fives.  Racquet 
and  hockey  flourished  for  a time.  The  playing 

of 


Games  and  Pastimes 


359 


of  marbles  was  abandoned  about  1820,  and  top- 
spinning about  1840.  Top-time  had  always  opened 
ten  days  after  the  return  to  school  alter  the  summer 
holidays.  Hoops  were  made  of  stout  ash  laths 
with  the  bark  on,  and  the  hoop-rolling  season  ended 


Doll's  Furniture,  One  Hundred  Years  Old 

with  a class  fray  with  hoopsticks  for  weapons.  At 
one  time  marble-playing  was  prohibited  in  the  Eng- 
lish  universities.  It  is  not  probable  that  those 
undergraduates  habitually  played  marble  any  more 
than  do  our  Princeton  University  men,  who  have 
a day  of  marble-playing  and  one  of  top-spinning 
each  spring. 

A 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


360 

A record  of  old-time  .sports  would  be  incomplete 
without  reference  to  the 'laws  of  sport  times.  These 
are  as  firmly  (established  as  the  seasons,  and  as 
regular  as  the  blooming  of  flowers.  Children  cannot 
explain  them,  nor  is  there  any  leader  who  establishes 
them.  It  is  not  a matter  of  reason;  it  is  instinct.  A 
Swiss  writer  says  that  boys’  games  there  belong  chiefly 
to  the  first  third  of  the  year,  always  return  in  the 
same  order,  and  “ without  the  individual  child  being 
able  to  say  who  had  given  the  sign,  and  made  the 
beginning.”  From  Maine  to  Georgia  the*  first  time 
is,  has  been  (and  we  may  almost  add  “ ever  shall  be 
world  without  end”),  marble  time.  Then  come  tops. 
The  saying  is,  “Top  time’s  gone,  \kite,  time’s)  come, 
April  Fool’s  Day  will  soon  be  herei”  Ball-playing 
in  Boston  had  as  its  time  the  first  Thursday  in  April) 
Whistle-making  would  naturally  come  at  a time 
when  whistle  wood  was  in  good  condition.  All 
the  boys  in  all  the  towns  perch  on  stilts  as  closely  in 
unison  as  the  reports  of  a Gatling  gun.  There  is 
much  sentiment  in  the  thought  that  for  years,  almost 
for  centuries,  thousands  of  boys  in  every  com- 
munity have  had  the  same  games 
at  the  same  time,  and  the 
recital  almost  reaches 
the  dignity  of 
history. 


CHAPTER  XVI II 


children’s  toys 

Behold  the  child,  by  nature' s kindly  lazv 
Pleased  with  a rattle,  tickled  with  a straw. 

Some  livelier  plaything  gives  his  youth  delight, 

A little  louder  but  as  empty  quite. 

— Essay  on  Alan.  Alexander  Pope , IJ^2. 


IN  the  year  1695  Mr.  Higginson  wrote  from 
Massachusetts  to  his  brother  in  England,  that 
if  toys  were  imported  in  small  quantity  to 
America  they  would  sell.  In  very  small  quantity, 
we  fancy,  though  the  influence  of  crown  and  court 
began  to  be  felt  in  New  England,  and  many  arti- 
cles ot  luxury  were  exported  to  that  colony  as  they 
were  to  Virginia. 

According  to  our  present  ideas,  playthings  for 
children  in  colonial  time  were  few  in  number,  save 
the  various  ones  they  manufactured  for  themselves. 
They  played  more  games,  and  had  fewer  toys  than 
modern  children.  In  1712,  on  the  list  of  rich 
goods  brought  into  Boston  by  a privateersman  and 
sold  there,  were  “ Boxes  of  Toys.”  In  1743  the 

361  - Boston 


362  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

Boston  News  Letter  advertised  “ Dutch  and  English 
Toys  for  Children,”  and  Mr.  Ernst  says  Boston  had 
a flourishing  toy  shop  at  that  date.  Other  towns  did 

not,  as  we  know  from 
many  shipping  orders. 

The  Toy  Shop  or  Sen- 
timental Preceptor , one 
of  Newbery’s  books, 
gives  a list  of  toys 
which  the  young  Eng- 
lish scholar  sought  ; 
they  are  a looking- 
glass,  a “spying  glass,” 
a “ fluffed  dog,”  a 
pocket-book,  a mask, 
a drum,  a doll,  a watch, 
a pair  of  scales.  Few 
of  these  articles  named 
would  really  be  termed 
toys.  Some  of  the 
games  already  alluded 
to,  such  as  top-spin- 
ning, hoop-rolling,  and  the  various  games  of  ball, 
required  toys  to  carry  them  on  ; but  they  seemed 
to  fall  into  classification  more  naturally  in  the 
chapter  on  games  than  in  this  one. 

1 have  often  been  asked  whether  the  first  childish 

girl 


Children’s  Toys  363 

girl  emigrants  to  this  solemn  new  world  had  the  com- 
fort of  dolls.  They  certainly  had  something  in  the 
semblance  ot  a doll.,  though  far  removed  from  the 


radiant  doll  creatures  of  this  day  ; little  puppets, 
crude  and  shapeless,  vet  ever  beloved  symbols 
ot  maternity,  have  been  known  to  children  in 
all  countries  and  all  ages  ; dolls  are  as  old  as  the 
world  and  human  life.  In  the  tombs  of  Attica  are 

found 


An  Old  Doll 


364  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


found  classic  dolls,  of  ivory 


and  terra-cotta,  with 
jointed  legs  and 
arms.  Sad  little  toys 
are  these ; for  their 
human  guardians  are 
scattered  dust.  Dolls 
were  called  puppets 
in  olden  times,  and 
babies.  I n the  Gentle- 
man s Magazine , 
London,  September, 
1751,  is  an  early  use 
of  the  word  doll, 
“Several  dolls  with 
different  dresses 
made  in  St.  James 
Street  have  been  sent 
to  the  Czarina  to 
show  the  manner  of 
dressing  at  present  in 
fashion  among  Eng- 
lish ladies.”  This 
circulation  of  dressed 
dolls  as  fashion  trans- 
mitters was  a univer- 
sal custom.  Fashion- 
plates  are  scarce  more 
than 


French  Doll 


Children’s  Toys 


365 


than  a century  old  in  use.  Dolls  were  sent  from 
house  to  house,  from  town  to  town,  trom  country  to 
country,  and  even  to  a new  continent. 

These  babies  for  fashion  models  came  to  be 
made  in  large  numbers  for  the  use  of  milliners ; 
and  as  the  finest  ones  came  from  the  Netherlands, 
they  were  called  “ Flanders  babies.”  To  the  busy 
fingers  of  Dutch  children,  English  and  American 
children  owed  many  toys  besides  these  dolls.  It 
was  a rhymed  reproach  to  the  latter  that  — 

“ What  the  children  of  Holland  take  pleasure  in  making. 

The  children  of  England  take  pleasure  in  breaking.” 

Fashions  changed,  and  the  modish  raiment  grew 
antiquated  and  despised  ; but  still  the  “ Flan- 
ders babies”  had  a cherished  old  age.  They  were 
graduated  from  milliners’  boxes  and  mantua-makers’ 
show  rooms  to  nurseries  and  play-rooms  where  they 
reigned  as  queens  of  juvenile  hearts.  There  are  old 
ladies  still  living  who  recall  the  dolls  of  their  youth 
as  having  been  the  battered  fashion  dolls  sent  to 
their  mammas. 

The  best  dolls  in  England  were  originally  sold  at 
Bartholomew  Fair  and  were  known  as  “ Bartholo- 
mew babies.”  The  English  poet,  Ward,  wrote:  — 


“ Ladies  d’y  want  fine  Toys 
For  Misses  or  for  Boys 


Ot 


366 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


Of  all  sorts  1 have  Choice 

And  pretty  things  to  tease  ye. 

I want  a little  Babye 
As  pretty  a one  as  may  be 

With  head-dress  made  of  Feather.” 


In  Poor  Robin  s Almanack , 1695,  is  a reference  to 
a “ Bartholomew  baby  trickt  up  with  ribbons  and 
knots  ” ; and  they  were  known  at  the  time  of  the 
landing  of  the  Pilgrims.  Therefore  it  is  not  impos- 
sible that  some  Winslow  or  Winthrop  maid,  some 
little  miss  of  Bradford  or  Brewster  birth,  brought 
across  seas  a Bartholomew  baby  and  was  comforted 
by  it. 

A pathetic  interest  is  attached  to  the  shapeless 
similitude  of  a doll  named  Bangwell  Putt,  shown 
facing  page  370.  It  is  in  the  collection  at  Deer- 
field Memorial  Hall.  It  was  cherished  for  eighty 
years  by  Clarissa  Field  of  Northfield,  Massachu- 
setts, who  was  born  blind,  and  whose  halting  but 
trusting  rhymes  of  longing  tor  the  clear  vision  of 
another  world  are  fastened  to  the  plaything  she 
loved  in  youth  and  in  old  age. 

Nothing  more  absurd  could  be  fancied  than  the 
nomenclature  “ French  ” attached  to  the  two  shape- 
less, inelegant  creatures,  a century  old,  shown  on 
pages  364  and  367.  Yet  gawky  as  they  are,  they 
show  signs  of  hard  usage,  which  proves  them  to  have 

had 


Children’s  Toys 


367 


had  a more  beloved  life  than  the  case  of  elegant 
Spanish  dolls,  on  page  389,  which  were  evidently 
too  fine  ever  to 
be  touched.  The 
“ White  House 
Doll  ” spent  the 
days  of  her  youth 
in  the  White 
H ouse  at  Wash- 
ington, with  the 
children  of  the 
President,  John 
Quincy  Adams, 
and  is  still  cher- 
ished by  his  de- 
scendants. 

Skilful  jack- 
knivescould  man- 
ufacture home- 
made dolls’  fur- 
niture. Birch 
bark  was  espe- 
cially adaptable  to 
such  uses.  The 
wicker  cradles  and  “chaises”  of  babies  were  copied 
in  miniature  for  dolls.  Tin  toys  were  scarce,  for 
tin  was  not  much  used  for  domestic  utensils.  A 


French  Doll 


tin 


j68 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


tin  horse  and  chaise  over  a hundred  years  old  is 
shown  on  page  373,  and  a quaint  plaything  it  is. 
The  eternal  desire  of  a child  for  something  sug- 
gestive of  a horse  found  satisfaction  in  home-made 
hobby-horses  ; and,  when  American  ships  wandered 


Dolls  and  Furniture 


over  the  world  in  the  India  trade,  they  brought 
home  to  American  children  strange  coaches  and 
chariots  of  gay  colors  and  strange  woods ; these 
were  often  comical  copies  of  European  shapes, 
sometimes  astonishingly  crude,  but  ample  for  the 
ever  active  imagination  of  a child  to  clothe  with 
beautiful  outlines.  An  old  coach  is  shown  on 
page  369,  with  the  box  in  which  it  was  originally 

packed. 


Children’s  Toys  369 

packed.  It  is  marked  Leghorn,  but  is  doubtless 
Chinese. 

The  word  “jack  ” as  a common  noun  and  in  com- 
pound words  has  been  held  to  be  a general  term 
applied  to  any  contrivance  which  does  the  work  of 
a boy  or  servant,  or  a simple  appliance  which  is 
subjected  to  common  usage.  In  French  the  name 


Chinese  Coach  and  Horses 


Jacques  was  a term  for  a young  man  ol  menial  con- 
dition. I he  term  “ country  jake  ” is  of  kindred 
sense.  Jack  lord,  jack  meddler,  jackanapes,  Jack 
I ar,  smoke-jack,  jack-o’-lantern,  black-jack,  jack- 
rabbit,  the  term  jack  applied  to  the  knave  in  play- 
ing cards,  and  the  expressions  jack-at-a-pinch,  jack 
in  office,  jack  in  bedlam,  jack  in  a box,  jack  of  all 
trades,  and  many  others  show  the  derivative  mean- 
ing. 


2 B 


370  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

ing.  Hence  jack-knife  may  mean  a boy’s  knife. 
In  English  dialect  the  word  was  jack-lag-knife, 
also  jack-a-legs,  in  Scotch,  jock-te-leg  — these  by  a 
somewhat  fanciful  derivation  said  to  be  from  Jacques 
de  Liege,  the  celebrated  cutler. 


Old  Jack-knives 


A good  jack-knife  was  the  most  highly  desired 
possession  of  a boy.  Days  of  weary  work  and 
hours  of  persistent  pleading  were  gone  through  with 
in  hundreds  of  cases  before  the  prize  was  secured. 
Barlow  knives  had  a century  of  popularity.  Some 
now  in  Deerfield  Memorial  Hall  are  here  shown. 
Note  the  curved  end,  a shape  now  obsolete,  but  in 
truth  an  excellent  one  for  safe  pocket  carriage. 

Knives 


Bangwell  Putt 


37i 


Children’s  Toys 

Knives  of  similar  shape  have  been  found  that  are 
known  to  be  a century  and  a half  old.  I have 
never  seen  in  America  any  of  the  old  knives  used 
as  lovers’  tokens,  with  mottoes  engraved  on  them, 
referred  to  by  Shakespeare.  The  boy’s  stock  of 
toys  was  largely  supplied  by  his  own  jack-knife : 
elder  pop-guns,  chestnut  and  willow  whistles,  wind- 
mills, water-wheels,  box-traps,  figure  4 traps.  Toy 
weapons  have  varied  little  from  the  Christian  era 
till  to-day.  Clubs,  slings,  bows  and  arrows,  air- 
guns,  are  as  old  as  the  vear  One.  Ere  these  were 
used  as  toys,  they  had  been  formidable  weapons. 
They  were  weapons  still,  for  some  years  of  colonial 
life.  In  1645  ^le  court  °1  Massachusetts  ordered 
that  all  boys  from  ten  to  sixteen  years  old  should 
be  exercised  with  bows  and  arrows. 

Skating  is  an  ancient  pastime.  As  early  as  the 
thirteenth  century  Fitzstephen  tells  of  young  Lon- 
doners fastening  the  leg-bones  of  animals  to  the 
soles  of  the  feet,  and  then  pushing  themselves  on 
the  ice  by  means  of  poles  shod  with  sharp  iron 
points. 

Pepys  thought  skating  “ a very  pretty  art  ” when 
he  saw  it  in  1662,  but  it  was  then  a novelty  to  him, 
and  he  was  characteristically  a little  afraid  of  it ; 
justly  disturbed,  too,  that  the  Duke  of  York  would 
go  “ though  the  ice  was  broken  and  dangerous,  yet 

he 


372 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


he  would  go  slide  upon  his  scates  which  I did  not 
like  — but  he  slides  very  well.” 

Wooden  skates  shod  with  iron  runners  were  in- 
vented in  the  Low  Countries.  Dutch  children  in 

New  Netherlands 
all  skated,  just  as 
their  grandfathers 
had  in  old  Batavia. 
The  first  skates  that 
William  Living- 
stone had  on  the 
frozen  Hudson  were 
made  of  beef  bones, 
as  were  those  of 
mediaeval  children. 
In  Massachusetts 
and  Connecticut, 
skating  was  among 
the  many  Dutch 
ways  and  doings 
practised  by  English 

White  House  Doll  ^ 

folk  in  the  new 
world.  The  Plymouth  Pilgrims  brought  these 
Dutch  customs  to  the  new  world  through  their 
long  and  intimate  sojourn  in  Holland;  the  New 
H aven  and  Connecticut  Valley  settlers  learned  them 
through  their  constant  trade  and  intercourse  with 

O 


their 


Children’s  Toys 


373 

their  neighbors,  the  Dutch  of  Manhattan  ; but  the 
Massachusetts  Bay  settlers  of  Boston  and  Salem 
had  known  these  Dutch  ways  longer,  — they 
brought  them  from  England  across  seas,  from  the 
counties  of  Essex  and  Suffolk,  where  the  Dutch 


Old  Tin  Toy 

had  gone  years  before  and  married  with  the 
English. 

New  England  boys  in  those  early  days  went 
skating  on  thin  ice  and  broke  through  and  were 
drowned,  just  as  New  England  boys  and  girls  are 
to-day,  alas  ! Judge  Sewall  wrote  in  his  diary  on  the 
last  day  in  November,  in  1696,  that  many  scholars 

went 


374 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


went  to  “ scate  ” on  Fresh  Pond,  and  that  two 
boys,  named  Maxwell  and  Eyre,  fell  in  and  were 
drowned. 

Advertisements  oi  men’s  and  boys’  skates  and  of 
“ Best  Holland  Scates  ot  Different  Sizes,”  show  a 


Doll's  Wicker  Coach 


constant  demand  and  use.  In  an  invoice  of  “sun- 
dry merchandise  ” to  Weathersfield,  Connecticut,  in 
the  year  1763,  are  twelve  pair  “small  brass  scates, 
@3/  — £2,  16/.”  I do  not  know  the  age  of  the 
skates  shown  opposite  page  346.  No  date  less 
than  a hundred  years  ago  is  ever  willingly  assigned 

to 


Children’s  Toys 


375 


to  such  relics.  They  are  similar  in  shape  to  the 
ones  shown  on  page  349,  in  the  illustration  taken 
from  a book  for  children  entitled  Children  s Sports , 
published  a century  ago,  which  ends  its  dissertation 
on  skating  with  this  sensible  advice:  — 

“ ’Tis  true  it  looks  exceeding  nice 
To  see  boys  gliding  on  the  ice. 

And  to  behold  so  many  feats 
Perform’d  upon  the  sliding  skates. 

But  before  you  venture  there 
Wait  until  the  ice  will  bear. 

For  want  of  this  both  young  and  old 
Have  tumbled  in,  — got  wet  and  cold.” 

It  was  not  until  October,  1771,  that  a pleasure- 
tilled  item  appeared,  “Boys’  Marbles.”  In  The 
Pretty  Little  Pocket  Book  are  these  lines:  — 

“ MARBLES 

I 

“ Knuckle  down  to  your  Taw. 

Aim  well,  shoot  away. 

Keep  out  of  the  Ring, 

You’ll  soon  learn  to  Play. 

MORAL 

“ Time  rolls  like  a Marble, 

And  drives  every  State. 

Then  improve  each  Moment, 

Before  its  too  late.” 


Boys 


3 76 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


Roys  played  wifh  (hem  precisely  as  hoys  do  now. 
The  poet  Cowper  in  his  Tirocinium  says  of  the 
games  of  his  school  life  : — 

“ The  little  ones  unbutton’d,  glowing  hot 
Playing  our  games  and  on  the  very  spot 
As  happy  as  we  once,  to  kneel  and  draw 
The  chalky  ring,  and  knuckle  down  at  taw.” 

The  terms  used  were  the  same  as  those  heard 
to-day  in  school  yards : taws,  vent,  back-licks, 

rounces,  dubs,  alleys,  and  alley-taws,  agates,  bull’s- 
eyes,  and  com  moneys.  Jackstones  was  an  old 

English  game  known  in  Locke’s  day  as  dibstones. 
Other  names  for  the  game  were  chuckstones, 
chuckie-stones,  and  clinches.  The  game  is  pre- 
cisely the  same  as  was  played  two  centuries  ago ; 
it  was  a girl’s  game  then  — it  is  a girl’s  game  now. 

Battledores  and  Shuttles  were  advertised  for  sale 
in  Boston  in  1761  ; but  they  are  far  older  than 
that.  Many  portraits  of  children  show  battledores, 
as  that  of  Thomas  Aston  Coffin.  All  books  of 
children’s  games  speak  of  them.  It  was, 
in  fact,  a popular  game,  and  deemed 
a properly  elegant  exercise  for 
decorous  young  misses 
to  indulge 
in. 


CHAPTER  XIX 


FLOWER  LORE  OF  CHILDREN 


In  childhood  zvhen  with  eager  eyes 

The  season-measured  years  I view' d 
All,  garb' d in  fairy  guise 

P/edg' d constancy  of  good. 

Spring  sang  of  heaven  ; the  summer  flowers 
Bade  me  gaze  on,  and  did  not  fade  ; 

Even  suns  o'er  autumn' s bowers 

Heard  my  strong  wish,  and  stay' d. 

They  came  and  went,  the  short-lived  four, 

Yet,  as  their  varying  dance  they  wove. 

To  my  young  heart  each  bore 
Its  own  sure  claim  of  love. 

— y.  H.  Card.  Newman,  1874. 

THE  records  of  childish  flower  lore  contained 
in  this  chapter  are  those  of  my  own  child- 
hood ; but  they  are  equally  the  records  of 
the  customs  oi  colonial  children,  for  these  games 
and  rhymes  and  plays  about  flowers  have  been  pre- 
served. from  generation  to  generation  of  New  Eng 
land  children.  The  transmission  of  this  nature  lore 

has 


377 


37^ 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

has  been  as  direct  and  unaltered  in  the  new  world 
as  in  Great  Britain.  Some  of  these  customs,  such 
as  the  eating  of  hollyhock  cheeses  and  the  blowing 
of  dandelion  clocks,  came  originally,  as  have  other 
play  usages,  from  England  ; many  were  varied  in 
early  years  by  different  conditions  in  the  new  world, 
by  local  fitness  and  suggestion. 

One  chapter  in  Mr.  Newell’s  book  upon  the 
Games  of  American  Children  dwells  upon  the  con- 
servatism of  children.  The  unquestioning  recep- 
tion of  play  formulas,  which  he  proves,  extended 
to  the  flower  rhymes  and  lore  which  I have  recol- 
lected and  herein  set  down.  These  inherited 
customs  are  far  dearer  to  children  than  modern  in- 
ventions. There  is  a quaintness  of  expression,  a 
sentiment  of  tradition,  that  the  child  feels  without 
power  of  formulating. 

If  the  paradise  of  the  Orientals  is  a garden,  so 
was  a garden  of  old-fashioned  flowers  the  earthly 
paradise  for  a child  : the  long  sunny  days  brought 
into  life  so  many  delightful  playthings  to  be  made 
through  the  exercise  of  that  keen  instinct  of  all  chil- 
dren, destructiveness.  Each  year  saw  the  fresh  re- 
telling and  teaching  of  child  to  child  of  happy  flower 
customs  almost  intuitively,  or  through  the  “ knowl- 
edge never  learned  at  schools,”  that  curious  subtle 
system  of  transmission  which  everywhere  exists 

among 


Stella  (Bradley)  Bellows,  1800,  circa 


Flower  Lore  of  Children 


379 


among  children  who  are  blessed  enough  to  spend 
their  summer  days  in  the  woods  or  in  a garden. 
The  sober  teachings  of  science  in  later  years  can 
never  make  up  the  loss  to  those  who  have  lived 
their  youth  in  great  cities,  and  have  grown  up  de- 
barred from  this  inheritance,  knowing  not  when 

‘‘The  summer  comes  with  flower  and  bee.” 

The  dandelion  was  the  earliest  flower  to  stir  the 
children’s  memories;  in  New  England  it  is  “the 
firstling  of  the  year.”  In  the  days  of  my  childhood 
we  did  not  wait  for  the  buttercup  to  open  to  learn 
whether  we  “ loved  butter  ” ; the  soft  dimpled  chin 
of  each  child  was  held  up,  as  had  been  those  of  other 
children  for  past  decades,  to  catch  the  yellow  reflec- 
tion of  the  first  dandelion  on  the  pinky  throat. 

The  dandelion  had  other  charms  for  the  child. 
When  the  blooms  had  grown  long-stemmed  through 
seeking  the  sun  from  under  the  dense  box  borders, 
what  pale  green,  opal-tinted  curls  could  be  made  by 
splitting  the  translucent  stems  and  immersing  them 
in  water,  or  bv  placing  them  in  the  mouth  ! I taste 
still  their  bitterness  ! What  grace  these  curls  con- 
ferred when  fastened  to  our  round  combs,  or  hung 
over  our  straight  braids  ! — far  better  than  locks  of 
corn  silk.  And  what  adorning  necklaces  and  chains 
like  Indian  wampum  could  be  made  by  stringing 

“ dandelion 


380  Child  Lite  in  Colonial  Days 

“dandelion  beads,’’  formed  by  cutting  the  stems 
into  sections!  This  is  an  ancient  usage;  one 
German  name  of  the  flower  is  chain-flower.  The 
making  of  dandelion  curls  is  also  an  old-time 
childish  custom  in  Germany.  When  the  dande- 
lion had  lost  her  golden  locks,  and  had  grown 
old  and  gray,  the  children  still  plucked  the  downy 
heads,  the  “clocks”  or  blowballs,  and  holding  aloft 
these  airy  seed  vessels,  and  fortifying  the  strong 
young  lungs  with  a deep  breath,  they  blew  upon 
the  head  “to  see  whether  my  mother  wants  me,” 
or  to  learn  the  time  o’  day. 

“ Dandelion,  the  globe  of  down. 

The  schoolboy’s  clock  in  every  town. 

Which  the  truant  puffs  amain 
To  conjure  back  long  hours  again.” 

The  ox-eye  daisy,  the  farmer’s  whiteweed,  was 
brought  to  New  England,  so  tradition  tells,  as  a 
garden  flower.  Now,  as  Dr.  Holmes  says,  it  whitens 
our  fields  to  the  great  disgust  of  our  liberal  shep- 
herds. It  soon  followed  the  dandelion  in  bloom, 
and  a fresh  necklace  could  be  strung  from  the  starry 
blossoms,  a daisy  chain,  just  as  English  children 
string  their  true  pink  and  white  daisies.  This  daisy 
was  also  used  as  a medium  of  amatory  divination, 
by  pulling  from  the  floret  the  white  ray  flowers, 
saying,  “ He  loves  me,  he  loves  me  not,”  or 

by 


Flower  Lore  of  Children 


38i 


by  repeating  the  old  “ apple- 
seed  rhyme  ” : — 


,-Sv, 


IB 

sM  ■ v 


<§ 


“ One  I love. 

Two  I love. 

Three  I love,  I say, 

Four  I love  with  all  my  heart. 
Five  I cast  away,”  etc. 


T 


Flower  oracles  are  mediaeval, 
and  divination  by  leaves  ol  grass.  ^ JU 
Children  to-day,  as  of  old,  draw  X 
grass  stalks  in  the  held  and  match  ' 

them  to  see  who  will  be  “ It.” 
Walther  von  der  Vogelweide  L-  ••••' 
(1170-1230)  did  likewise: — 


L - 

3S 


A spire  of  grass  hath  made  me  gay  — 

I measured  in  the  self-same  way 
I have  seen  practised  by  a child. 

Come,  look,  and  listen  if  she  really  does, 
She  does,  does  not,  she  does,  does  not, 
she  does.” 


The 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


382 

The  yellow  disk,  or  “ button,”  of  the  ox-eye 
daisy,  which  was  formed  by  stripping  off  the  white 
rays,  made  a pretty  pumpkin  pie  tor  the  dolls’  table. 
A very  effective  and  bilious  old  lady,  or  “ daisy 
grandmother,”  was  made  by  clipping  off  the  rays  to 
shape  the  border  or  ruffle  of  a cap,  leaving  two  long 
rays  for  strings,  and  marking  in  a grotesque  old 
face  with  pen  and  ink.  A dusky  face,  called  with 
childish  plainness  of  speech  a “ nigger  head,”  could 
be  made  in  like  fashion  from  the  “ black-eyed 
Susan  ” or  “ vellow  daisy,”  which  now  rivals  the 
ox-eye  daisy  as  a pest  of  New  England  fields. 

Though  the  spring  violets  were  ciearly  loved,  we 
slaughtered  them  ruthlessly  by  “fighting  roosters” 
with  them.  The  projecting  spur  under  the  curved 
stem  at  the  base  of  the  flower  was  a hook,  and  when 
the  violets  “clinched”  we  pulled  till  the  stronger 
was  conqueror,  and  the  weaker  head  was  off. 

What  braided  “cat-ladders,”  and  quaint,  antique- 
shaped  boats  with  swelling  lateen  sail  and  pennant 
of  striped  grass  could  be  made  from  the  flat,  sword- 
like leaves  of  the  “flower-de-luce!”  Filled  with 
flowers,  these  leafy  boats  could  be  set  gayly  adrift 
down  a tiny  brook  in  the  meadow,  or,  with  equal 
sentiment,  in  that  delight  of  children  since  Frois- 
sart’s day,  the  purling  gutter  of  a hillside  street 
after  a heavy  midsummer  shower.  The  flowers 

choser. 


Flower  Lore  of  Children 


383 


chosen  to  sail  in  these  tiny  crafts  were  those  most 
human  of  all  flowers,  pansies,  or  their  smaller 
garden  sisters,  the  “ ladies’-delights  ” that  turned 
their  laughing,  happy  faces  to  us  from  every  nook 
and  corner  of  our  garden.  The  folk  names  of  this 
flower,  such  as  “ three-faces-under-a-hood,”  “ johnny- 
jump-up,”  “ jump-up-and-kiss-me,”  “ come-tickle- 
me,”  show  the  universal  sense  of  its  kinship  to 
humanity.  I knew  a child  who  insisted  for  years 
that  pansies  spoke  to  her.  Another  child,  who  had 
stolen  a rose,  and  hidden  it  under  her  apron,  called 
out  pettishly  (throwing  the  rose  in  a pansy  bed), 
“Here!  take  your  old  flower” — as  the  pansy 
faces  blinked  and  nodded  knowingly  to  her. 

The  “ dielytra  ” (bleeding-heart,  or  lady’s-eardrops 
we  called  it)  had  long,  gracefully  drooping  racemes 
of  bright  red-pink  flowers,  which  when  pulled  apart 
and  straightened  out  made  fairy  gondolas,  or  which 
might  be  twisted  into  a harp  and  bottle.  How 
many  scores  have  I carefully  dissected,  trying  to 
preserve  intact  in  skeleton  shape  the  little  heart- 
shaped  “frame”  of  the  delicate  flower!  The 
bleeding-heart  is  a flower  of  inexplicable  charm  to 
children  ; it  has  something  of  that  mystery  which 
in  human  nature  we  term  fascination.  Little  chil- 
dren beg  to  pick  it,  and  babies  stretch  out  their  tiny 
hands  to  it  when  showier  blossoms  are  unheeded. 

What 


3*4 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


What  black-headed  puppets  or  dolls  could  be 
made  from  the  great  poppies,  whose  reflexed  petals 
formed  gay  scarlet  petticoats  ; and  also  from  the 
blossoms  of  vari-colored  double  balsams,  with  their 
trills  and  flounces  ! The  hollyhock,  ever  ready  to 
render  to  the  child  a new  pleasure,  could  be  tied  into 
tiny  dolls  with  shining  satin  gowns,  true  fairies. 
Families  — nay,  tribes  of  patriarchal  size  had  the 
little  garden-mother.  Mertensia,  or  lungwort,  we 
termed  “ pink  and  blue  ladies.”  The  lovely  blos- 
soms, which  so  delighted  the  English  naturalist 
Wallace,  and  which  he  called  “ drooping  porcelain- 
blue  bells,”  are  shaped  something  like  a child’s 
straight-waisted,  full-skirted  frock.  If  pins  are  stuck 
upright  in  a piece  of  wood,  the  little  blue  silken 
frocks  can  be  hung  over  them,  and  the  green  calyx 
looks  like  a tiny  hat.  A child  friend  forbidden  to 
play  with  dolls  on  the  solemn  New  England  Sab- 
bath was  permitted  to  gather  the  mertensia  bells  on 
that  holy  day,  and  also  to  use  the  cherished  income 
of  a prosperous  pin  store.  It  was  discovered  with 
maternal  horror  that  she  had  carefully  arranged  her 
pink  and  blue  ladies  in  quadrilles  and  contra-dances, 
and  was  very  cheerfully  playing  dancing  party,  to 
beguile  the  hours  of  a weary  summer  Sunday 
afternoon. 

Mr.  Tylor,  the  author  of  Primitive  Culture , calls 


our 


Flower  Lore  of  Children 


Playing  Marbles 

dren  love  to  produce  these  imitations  themselves 
with  what  materials  they  can  obtain,  not  to  have 
them  provided  in  finished  perfection.  Thus  the 
elaborately  fitted-up  doll’s  house  and  imitation  gro- 
cery store  cannot  keep  the  child  contented  for  days 
and  weeks  as  can  the  doll’s  room  or  shop  counter 
furnished  by  the  makeshifts  of  the  garden.  The 
child  makes  her  cups  and  saucers  and  furniture  her- 
2 c self. 


our  attention  to  the  fact  that  many  of  the  beloved 
plays  of  children  are  only  sportive  imitations  of  the 
serious  business  of  life.  In  some  cases  the  game 
has  outlived  the  serious  practice  of  which  it  is  a 
copy  — such  as  the  use  of  bows  and  arrows.  Chii- 


386  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

self.  She  prepares  her  own  powders  and  distillations 
and  is  satisfied. 

A harvest  of  acorn  cups  furnished  table  garni- 
ture, but  not  a cherished  one ; they  were  too 
substantial ; we  preferred  more  fragile,  more  perish- 
able wares.  Rose-hips  were  fashioned  into  tiny 
tea-sets,  and  would  not  be  thought  to  be  of  great 
durability.  A few  years  ago  I was  present  at  the 
opening  of  an  ancient  chest  which  had  not  been 
thoroughly  searched  for  many  years.  In  a tiny 
box  within  it  was  found  some  cherished  belong- 
ings of  a little  child  who  had  died  in  the  year 
1794.  Among  them  was  one  of  these  tea-sets  made 
of  rose-hips,  with  handles  of  bent  pins.  Though 
shrunken  and  withered,  the  rose-hips  still  possessed 
some  life  color,  but  they  soon  fell  into  dust.  There 
was  something  most  tender  in  the  thought  of  that 
loving  mother,  who  had  herself  been  dead  over 
half  a century,  who  had  thus  preserved  the  childish 
work  of  her  beloved  daughter. 

Poppy  pericarps  made  famous  pepper-boxes,  from 
which  the  seed  could  be  shaken  as  pepper ; dishes 
and  cups,  too,  for  dolls’  tea-tables,  and  tiny  handles 
of  strong  grass  stems  could  be  attached  to  the  cups. 
For  the  child’s  larder,  hollyhocks  furnished  food  in 
their  mucilaginous  cheeses,  and  the  insipid  akenes 
of  the  sunflower  and  seeds  of  pumpkins  swelled  the 

feast. 


Flower  Lore  of  Children 


387 


feast.  A daintier  morsel,  a drop  of  honey,  the  “clear 
bee-wine”  of  Keats,  could  be  sucked  from  the  curved 
spur  of  the  columbine,  and  the  scarlet-and-yellow 
trumpet  of  the  beautiful  coral  honeysuckle,  melliflu- 
ous of  the  name,  as  well  as  from  the  tubes  of  the 
heads  of  clover.  We  ate  rose-leaves,  also,  and  grass 
roots,  and  smarting  peppergrass.  The  sorrel  and 
oxalis  (which  we  called  “ladies’  sorrel”)  and  the  curl- 
ing tendrils  ot  grape-vines  gave  an  acid  zest  to  our 
childish  nibblings  and  browsings. 

The  gnarled  plum  trees  at  the  end  of  the  garden 
exuded,  beautiful  crystals  ot  gum,  of  which  we  could 
say  proudly,  like  Cornelia,  “ These  are  my  jewels.” 
Translucent  topaz  and  amber  were  never  more 
beautiful,’  and,  void  of  settings,  these  pellucid  gems 
could  be  stuck  directly  on  the  fingers  or  on  the  tip 
of  the  ear.  And  when  our  vanity  was  sated  with  the 
bravery,  or  we  could  no  longer  resist  our  appetite, 
there  still  remained  another  charm  : with  childish 
opulence,  like  Cleopatra,  we  swallowed  our  jewels. 

A low-growing  mallow,  wherever  it  chanced  to 
run,  shared  with  its  cousin  hollyhock  the  duty  of 
providing  cheeses.  These  mallow  cheeses  were  also 
eaten  by  English  children.  In  allusion  to  this  the 
poet  Clare  wrote  : — 


“ The  sitting  down  when  school  was  o'er 
Upon  the  threshold  of  the  door. 


Picking 


388 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


Picking  from  mallows,  sport  to  please. 

The  crumpled  seed  we  call  a cheese.” 

These  flower  customs  never  came  to  us  through 
reading.  All  our  English  story-books  told  of  mak- 
ing cowslip  balls,  of  breaking  the  shepherd’s  purse, 
of  playing  lords  and  ladies  with  the  arum  — what 
we  call  jack-in-the-pulpit ; yet  we  never  thought  of 
making  any  kindred  attempts  with  these  or  similar 
flowers.  We  did  gather  eagerly  the  jack-in-the- 
pulpit,  whose  singularity  of  aspect  seems  always  to 
attract  the  attention  of  children,  and  by  pinching  it  at 
the  base  of  the  flower  made  it  squeak,  “ made  Jack 
preach.”  But  like  true  republicans  we  never  called 
our  jacks  lords  and  ladies. 

The  only  liking  we  had  for  the  portulaca  was  in 
gathering  the  seeds  which  grew  in  little  boxes  with 
a lid  opening  in  a line  around  the  middle.  Oh, 
dear!  It  doesn’t  seem  like  the  same  thing  to  hear 
these  beloved  little  seed-boxes  described  as  “a  pyxis, 
or  a capsule  with  a circumscissile  dehiscence.” 

From  the  live-for-ever,  or  orpine  (once  tenderly 
cherished  as  a garden  favorite,  now  in  many  localities 
a hated  and  persistent  weed),  we  made  frogs,  or 
purses,  by  gently  pinching  the  fleshy  leaves  be- 
tween thumb  and  forefinger,  thus  loosening  the 
epidermis  on  the  lower  side  of  the  leaf  and  making 
a bladder  which,  when  blown  up,  would  burst  with 

a 


Flower  Lore  of  Children 


J89 


a delightful  pop.  The  Mew  England  folk  names 
by  which  this  plant  is  called,  such  as  frog-plant, 
blow-leaf,  pudding-bag  plant,  show  the  wide-spread 
prevalence  of  this  custom.  A rival  in  sound 
could  be  made  by  popping  the  foxglove’s  fingers. 
English  countrywomen  call  the  foxglove  a pop. 


Spanish  Dolls 


The  morning-glory  could  also  be  blown  up  and 
popped,  and  the  canterbury-bell.  We  placed  rose 
petals  and  certain  tender  leaves  over  our  lips,  and 
drew  in  the  centres  for  explosion. 

Noisy  boys  found  scores  of  other  ways  to  make 
various  resounding  notes  in  the  gardens.  A louder 
pop  could  be  made  by  placing  broad  leaves  on  the 
extended  thumb  and  forefinger  of  one  hand  and 

striking 


39° 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

striking  them  with  the  other.  The  hoys  also  made 
squawks  out  ot  birch  bark  and  fiddles  of  corn- 
stalks and  trombones  from  the  striped  prickly  leaf- 
stalks of  pumpkins  and  squashes. 

The  New  England  chronicler  in  rhyme  of  boy- 
hood days,  Rev.  John  Pierpont,  called  this  sound 
evoked  from  the  last-named  instrument  “ the  deeper 
tone  that  murmurs  from  the  pumpkin  leaf  trom- 
bone.” It  is,  instead,  a harsh  trumpeting.  These 
trombones  were  made  in  Germany  as  early  as  the 
thirteenth  century. 

An  ear-piercing  whistle  could  be  constructed  from 
a willow  branch,  and  a particularly  disagreeable 
sound  could  be  evoked  by  every  boy,  and  (I  must 
acknowledge  it)  by  every  girl,  too,  by  placing  broad 
leaves  of  grass  — preferably  the  pretty  striped  ribbon- 
grass,  or  gardener’s  garters — between  the  thumbs 
and  blowing  thereon.  Other  skilful  and  girl-envied 
accomplishments  of  the  boys  I will  simply  name  : 
making  baskets  and  brooches  by  cutting  or  filing 
the  furrowed  butternut  or  the  stone  of  a peach ; 
also  fairy  baskets,  Japanesque  in  workmanship,  of  * 
cherry  stones;  manufacturing  old-women  dolls  of 
hickory  nuts  ; squirt-guns  and  pop-guns  of  elder- 
berry stems  ; pipes  of  horse-chestnuts,  corn-cobs,  or 
acorns,  in  which  dried  sweet-fern  could  be  smoked  ; 
sweet-fern  or  grape-stem  or  corn-silk  cigars. 


Some 


Flower  Lore  of  Children  391 

Some  child  customs  successfully  defy  the  law  of 
the  survival  of  the  useful,  and  ignore  the  lesson  of 
reason  ; they  simply  exist.  A marked  example 
of  these,  of  bootless  toil,  is  the  laborious  hoarding 
of  horse-chestnuts  each  autumn.  With  what  eager- 
ness and  hard  work  do  boys  gather  these  pretty 
nuts;  how  they  quarrel  with  one  another  over  the 
possession  ol  every  one  ; how  stingily  thev  dole  out 
a tew  to  the  girls  who  cannot  climb  the  trees,  and 
are  not  permitted  to  belabor  the  branches  with 
clubs  and  stones  tor  dislodgment  ot  the  treasures, 
as  do  their  lordly  brothers ! How  carefully  the 
gathered  store  is  laid  away  tor  winter,  and  not  one 
thing  ever  done  with  one  horse-chestnut,  until  all 
feed  a grand  blaze  in  the  open  fireplace  ! At  the 
time  of  their  gathering  they  are  converted  to  certain 
uses,  are  made  into  certain  toys.  They  are  tied  to 
the  ends  of  strings,  and  two  boys,  holding  the 
stringed  chestnuts,  play  cob-nut.  Two  nuts  are 
also  tied  together  by  a yard  of  cord,  and,  by  a 
catching  knack,  circled  in  opposite  directions.  But 
these  games  have  a very  emphatic  time  and  season, 
— the  weeks  when  the  horse-chestnuts  ripen.  The 
winter’s  store  is  always  untouched. 

From  a stray  burdock  plant  which  had  escaped 
destruction  in  our  kitchen  garden,  or  from  a group 
of  these  pestilent  weeds  in  a neighboring  by-path, 

could 


392  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

could  be  gathered  materials  for  many  days  of 
pleasure.  The  small,  tenacious  burs  could  be  easily 
wrought  into  interesting  shapes.  There  was  a 
romance  in  our  neighborhood  about  a bur-basket. 
A young  man  conveyed  a written  proposal  of  mar- 
riage to  his  sweetheart  reposing  in  one  of  the  spiny 
vehicles.  Like  the  Ahkoond  of  Swat,  I don’t  know 
“ why  or  which  or  when  or  what  ” lie  chose  such  an 
extraordinary  medium,  but  the  bur-basket  was  for- 
ever after  haloed  with  sentiment.  We  made  from 
burs  more  prosaic  but  admirable  furniture  for  the 
dolls’  house,  — tables,  chairs,  and  cradles.  Traces 
of  the  upholstery  clung  long  and  disfiguringly  to 
our  clothing,  but  never  deterred  us  from  the  fas- 
cinating occupation.  To  throw  these  burs  upon 
each  other’s  clothing  was  held  to  be  the  commission 
of  the  unpardonable  sin  in  childish  morals;  still  it 
was  done  “ in  holiday  foolery,”  as  in  Shakespeare’s 
day. 

The  milkweed,  one  of  our  few  native  weeds,  and 
a determined  settler  on  its  native  soil,  furnished 
abundant  playthings.  The  empty  pods  became 
fairy  cradles,  and  tiny  pillows  could  be  made  of  the 
beautiful  silk.  The  milkweed  and  thistle  both  fur- 
nish pretty,  silvery  balls  when  treated  with  deft 
fingers;  and  their  manufacture  is  no  modern  fash- 
ion. Manasseh  Cutler,  writing  in  1786,  says:  — 


“ I 


Flower  Lore  of  Children 


393 


u I was  pleased  with  a number  of  perfectly  white  silken 
balls,  as  they  appeared  to  be,  suspended  by  small  threads 
along  the  frame  of  the  looking-glass.  They  were  made 
by  taking  off  the  calyx  of  the  thistle  at  an  early  stage  of 
blooming.” 

Ingenious  toys  of  amusing  shapes  could  be 
formed  of  the  pith  of  the  milkweed,  and  when 
weighted  with  a tack  would  always  fall  tack  down- 
ward, as  did  the  grotesque  corn-stalk  witches. 

Pressed  flowers  were  devoted  to  special  uses.  I 
cannot  recall  pressing  any  flower  save  larkspur, — 
the  “ lark-heels  ” of  Shakespeare.  Why  this  flower 
was  chosen  I do  not  know,  unless  for  the  reason 
that  its  colors  were  so  enduring.  We  used  to  make 
charming  wreaths  of  the  stemless  flowers  by  placing 
the  spur  of  one  in  the  centre  of  another  flower,  and 
thus  forming  a tiny  circle.  A favorite  arrangement 
was  alternating  the  colors  pink  and  blue.  These 
stiff  little  pressed  wreaths  were  gummed  on  a sheet 
of  paper,  to  be  used  at  the  proper  time  as  a valen- 
tine,— were  made  for  that  definite  purpose;  yet  I 
cannot  now  recall  that,  when  February  came,  I ever 
sent  one  of  these  valentines,  or  indeed  had  any  to 
send. 

I have  found  these  larkspur  wreaths  in  a Pike’s 
Arithmetic,  used  a century  ago,  and  also  in  old 
Bibles,  sometimes  fastened  in  festoons  on  the  title- 

page, 


394 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


page,  around  the  name  of  a past  owner.  Did  Dr. 
Holmes  refer  to  one  when  he  wrote  his  graceful 
line,  “light  as  a loop  of  larkspur”?  A similar 
wreath  could  be  made  of  the  columbine  spurs.  A 
friend  tells  me  she  made  scores  in  her  youth;  but 
we  never  pressed  any  flowers  but  larkspur. 

Many  pretty  wreaths  were  made  of  freshly  gath- 
ered flowers.  The  daintiest  were  of  lilac  or  phlox 
petals,  which  clung  firmly  together  without  being 
threaded,  and  the  alternation  of  color  in  these 
wreaths  — one  white  and  two  purple  lilac  petals, 
or  two  white  phlox  petals  and  two  crimson — could 
easily  prove  the  ingenuity  and  originality  of  the 
child  who  produced  them.  In  default  of  better- 
loved flowers,  the  four-o’clock,  or  marvel-of-Peru, 
was  made  into  a similar  garland. 

In  the  beautiful  and  cleanly  needles  of  the  pine 
the  children  had  an  unlimited  supply  for  the  manu- 
facture of  toys.  Pretty  necklaces  could  be  made  for 
personal  adornment,  resembling  in  miniature  the 
fringed  bark  garments  of  the  South  Sea  Islanders, 
and  tiny  brooms  for  dolls’  houses.  A thickly  grow- 
ing cluster  of  needles  was  called  “a  lady.”  When 
her  petticoats  were  carefully  trimmed,  she  could  be 
placed  upright  on  a sheet  of  paper,  and  by  softly 
blowing  upon  it  could  be  made  to  dance.  A winter’s 
amusement  was  furnished  by  gathering  and  storing 

the 


Flower  Lore  of  Children  395 

the  pitch-pine  cones  and  hearing  them  snap  open 
in  the  house.  The  cones  could  also  be  planted 
with  grass-seeds,  and  form  a cheerful  green  grow- 
ing ornament. 


Leaf  Boats,  made  from  Flower-de-luce 

From  birch  bark  gathered  in  long  wood  walks 
could  be  made  cornucopias  and  drinking-cups,  and 
letters  could  be  cut  thereon  and  thereof.  There 
wandered  through  the  town,  harmless  and  happy, 
one  of  “ God’s  fools,”  whose  like  is  seen  in  every 

country 


396 


Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 


country  community.  He  found  his  pleasure  in 
early  autumn  in  strolling  through  the  country,  and 
marking  with  his  jack-knife,  in  cabalistic  designs, 
the  surface  of  all  the  unripe  pumpkins  and  squashes. 
He  was  driven  by  the  farmers  from  this  annoying 
trespass  in  the  daytime,  but  “ by  brave  moonshine  ” 
could  still  make  his  mysterious  mark  on  the  harvest 
of  the  year.  The  boys  of  the  town,  impressed  by 
the  sight  of  a garden  or  held  of  squashes  thus  curi- 
ously marked,  fell  into  a habit  of  similar  inscription, 
which  in  them  became  wanton  vandalism,  and  had 
none  of  the  sense  of  baffled  mystery  which  always 
hung  around  and  illumined  poor  Elmer’s  letters.  A 
favorite  manner  of  using  the  autumn  store  of  pump- 
kins was  in  the  manufacture  of  Jack-o’-lanterns, 
which  were  most  effective  and  hideous  when  lighted 
from  within. 

“The  umbrellas  are  out!”  call  country  children 
in  spring,  when  the  peltate  leaves  of  the  May  apple 
spread  their  umbrella-shaped  lobes,  and  the  little 
girls  gather  them,  and  the  leaves  of  the  wild  sarsa- 
parilla, for  dolls’  parasols.  The  spreading  head  of 
what  we  called  snake  grass  could  also  be  tied  into 
a very  effective  miniature  parasol.  There  is  no 
sense  of  caste  among  children  when  in  a field  or 
garden  — all  are  equally  well  dressed  when  “bedi- 
zened and  brocaded”  with  garden  finery.  Green 

leaves 


Flower  Lore  of  Children 


39  7 


leaves  can  be  pinned  with  their  stems  into  fantastic 
caps  and  bonnets  ; foxglove  fingers  can  be  used  as 
gloves  ; the  blossoms  of  the  jewelweed  make  pretty 
earrings  ; and  the  dandelion  and  daisy  chains  are  not 
the  only  necklaces,  — the  lilac  and  larkspur  chains 
and  pretty  little  circlets  of  phlox  are  proudly  worn  ; 
and  strings  of  rose-hips  end  the  summer.  The  old 
English  herbalist  says  “children  with  delight  make 
chains  and  pretty  gewgaws  of  the  fruit  of  roses.” 
Truly,  the  garden-bred  child  walks  in  gay  attire 
from  May  to  October. 

The  “ satten  ” found  by  the  traveller  Josselyn,  in 
seventeenth-century  New  England  gardens,  formed 
throughout  New  England  a universal  plaything,  and 
a frequent  winter  posy,  in  country  parlors,  on  mantel 
or  table.  The  broad  white  oval  partition,  of  satiny 
lustre,  remaining  after  the  side  valves  had  fallen, 
made  juvenile  money,  and  the  plant  went  by  the 
appropriate  name  of  money-in-both-pockets. 

Other  seeds  were  gathered  as  the  children’s  spoils  : 
those  of  the  garden  balsam,  to  see  them  burst,  or  to 
feel  them  curl  up  in  the  hand  like  living  creatures  ; 
those  of  the  balsam’s  cousin,  the  jewelweed,  to  watch 
them  snap  violently  open  — hence  its  country 
name  of  touch-me-not  and  snapweed.  When  the 
leaves  were  hung  with  dew  it  deserved  its  title 
of  jewelweed,  and  when  they  were  immersed  in 

water 


398  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

water  its  other  pretty  descriptive  folk  name  of 
silver-leaf. 

A grotesquery  could  be  formed  from  the  seed- 
pods  in  the  centre  of  the  peony,  when  opened,  in 
such  a way  that  the  tiny  pink  and  white  seeds  re- 
sembled two  sets  of  teeth  in  an  open  mouth.  Imagi- 
nary miniature  likenesses  were  found  in  the  various 
parts  of  many  flowers  : the  naked  pistil  and  stamens 
of  one  were  a pair  of  tongs  ; another  had  a seed 
ovary  which  was  a lady,  a very  stout  lady  with  ex- 
tending hoops.  The  heart’s-ease  had  in  its  centre 
an  old  lady  washing  her  feet ; the  monk’s-hood,  a 
devil  in  his  chariot.  A single  petal  of  the  colum- 
bine, with  attached  sepals,  was  a hovering  dove,  and 
the  whole  flower — Izaak  Walton’s  “culverkeys  ” — 
formed  a little  dish  with  a ring  of  pigeon- heads 
bending  within. 

There  were  many  primitive  inks  and  staining 
juices  that  could  be  expressed,  and  milks  and  gums 
that  exuded,  from  various  plants.  We  painted 
pictures  in  our  books  with  the  sap  from  the  petals 
of  the  red  peonies,  and  blue  juice  from  the  blos- 
som of  the  spiderwort,  or  tradescantia,  now  a neg- 
lected flower.  We  dyed  dolls’  clothes  with  the  juice 
of  elderberries.  T he  country  child  could  also  dye 
a vivid  red  with  the  juice  of  the  pokeberry,  the 
“red-ink”  plant,  or  with  the  stems  of  the  blood 

root  ,• 


Flower  Lore  of  Children 


399 


root;  and  the  sap  crushed  from  soft,  pulpv  leaves, 
such  as  those  of  the  live-for-ever,  furnished  a green 
stain. 

There  was  a certain  garden  lore  connected  with 
insects,  not  so  extensive,  probably,  as  a child  would 
have  upon  a farm.  We  said  to  the  snail : — 

“Snail,  snail,  come  out  of  your  hole. 

Or  else  I will  beat  you  as  black  as  a coal.” 

We  sang  to  the  lady-bug:  — 

“ Lady-bug,  lady-bug,  fly  away  home  ; 

Your  house  is  on  fire,  your  children  will  burn.” 

We  caught  the  grasshoppers,  and  thus  exhorted 
them  : — 

“ Grandfather,  grandfather  gray. 

Give  me  molasses,  or  I’ll  throw  you  away.” 

We  believed  that  earwigs  lived  for  the  sole  purpose 
of  penetrating  our  ears,  that  dragon-flies  flew  with 
the  sole  thought  of  sewing  up  our  lips  — devil’s 
darning-needles  we  called  them.  To  this  day  I 
instinctively  cover  my  mouth  at  their  approach. 
We  used  to  entrap  bumble-bees  in  the  bells  of 
monopetalous  flowers  such  as  canterbury-bells,  or 
in  the  ample  folds  of  the  hollyhock,  and  listen  to 
their  indignant  scolding  and  buzzing,  and  watch 
them  gnaw  and  push  out  to  freedom.  I cannot 
recall  ever  being  stung  in  the  process. 


We 


400  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

We  had  the  artistic  diversion  of  “ pin-a-sights.’1 
These  were  one  ol  the  shop-furnishings  of  pin 
stores,  whose  curious  lore,  and  the  oddly  shaped 
and  named  articles  made  for  them,  should  be  re- 
corded ere  they  are  forgotten.  A “ pin-a-sight  ” 
was  made  of  a piece  of  glass,  on  which  were  stuck 
flowers  in  various  designs.  Over  these  flowers  was 
pasted  a covering  of  paper,  in  which  a movable  flap 
could  be  lifted,  to  display,  on  payment  of  a pin,  the 
concealed  treasures.  We  used  to  chant,  to  entice 
sight-seers,  “ A pin,  a pin,  a poppy-show.”  This 
being  our  rendering  of  the  word  “ puppet-show.” 
I recall  as  our  “ sights  ” chiefly  the  tiny  larkspur 
wreaths  before  named,  and  miniature  trees  care- 
fully manufactured  of  grass-spires.  A noted  “pin- 
a-sight,”  glorious  still  in  childish  history  and  tradi- 
tion, was  made  for  my  pin-store  by  a grown-up  girl  of 
fourteen.  She  cut  in  twain  tiny  baskets,  which  she 
pasted  on  glass,  and  filled  with  wonderful  artificial 
flowers  manufactured  out  of  the  petals  of  real  blos- 
soms. I well  remember  her  “ gilding  refined  gold” 
by  making  a gorgeous  blue  rose  out  of  the  petals  of 
a flower-de-luce. 

I cannot  recall  playing  much  with  roses  ; we  fash- 
ioned a bird  out  of  the  buds.  The  old  English 
rhyme  describing  the  variation  of  the  sepals  was 
unknown  to  us  : — 


**  On 


Flower  Lore  of  Children 


401 


« On  a summer’s  day  in  sultry  weather 
Five  brethren  were  born  together  : 

Two  had  beards,  and  two  had  none. 

And  the  other  had  but  half  a one.” 

Still,  with  the  rose  is  connected  one  of  my  most 
tender  child  memories,  — somewhat  of  a gastronomic 
cast,  yet  suffused  with  an  element  of  grace,  — the 
making  of  “ rosy-cakes.”  These  dainty  fairy  cakes 
were  made  of  layers  of  rose-leaves  sprinkled  with 
powdered  sugar  and  cinnamon,  and  then  carefully 
enfolded  in  slips  oi  white  paper.  Sometimes  they 
were  placed  in  the  garden  over  night,  pressed  be- 
tween two  flat  stones.  As  a morsel  for  the  epicure 
they  were  not  altogether  alluring,  although  inoffen- 
sive, but  decidedlv  preferable  to  pumpkin  or  sun- 
flower seeds,  and  they  were  englamoured  with 
sentiment ; tor  these  rosy-cakes  were  not  destined 
to  be  greedily  eaten  by  the  concocter,  but  were  to 
be  given  with  much  secrecy  as  a mark  of  affection, 
a true  love  token,  to  another  child  or  some  beloved 
older  person,  and  were  to  be  eaten  also  in  secret. 
I recall  to  this  day  the  thrill  of  happiness  which  the 
gift  of  one  of  these  little  paper-inclosed  rosy-cakes 
brought  to  me,  in  the  days  of  my  childhood,  when 
it  was  slipped  into  mv  hand  by  a beautiful  and  gentle 
child,  who  died  the  following  evening,  during  a 
thunder-storm,  of  fright.  The  tragedy  of  her  death, 
2d  the 


402  Child  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

the  memory  of  the  startling  glimpses  given  by  the 
vivid  lightning,  of  agitated  running  to  and  fro  in  the 
heavy  rain  and  lowering  darkness,  and  the  terrified 
summons  of  kindly  neighbors,  — all  have  fixed  more 
firmly  in  my  mind  the  happy  recollection  of  her 
last  gift. 

Another  custom  of  my  youth  was  watching  at 
dusk  the  opening  of  the  twisted  buds  of  the  garden 
primrose  into  wan,  yellow  stars,  “pallid  flowers,  by 
dew  and  moonlight  fed,”  which  filled  the  early  even- 
ing with  a faint,  ineffable  fragrance  that  drew  a host 
of  encircling  night  moths.  Keats  said  they  “ leaped 
from  buds  into  ripe  flowers,”  a habit  thus  told  by 
Margaret  Deland  : — 

“ Here,  in  warm  darkness  of  a night  in  June, 

^ * * . * * children  came 

To  watch  the  primrose  blow. 

Silent  they  stood. 

Hand  clasped  in  hand,  in  breathless  hush  around. 

And  saw  her  shyly  doff  her  soft  green  hood 
And  blossom  — with  a silken  burst  of  sound  ! ” 

In  our  home  garden  stood  a clump  of  tall  prim- 
roses, whose  beautiful  flowers,  when  opened,  were 
four  inches  in  diameter.  When  riding,  one  sum- 
mer evening,  along  a seaside  road  on  Cape  Ann, 
we  first  saw  one  of  these  queens  of  the  night  in  an 
humble  dooryard.  In  the  dark  its  seeds  v/ere  gath- 
ered 


Flower  Lore  of  Children 


403 

ered  and  given  by  an  unknown  hand  and  a flower- 
loving  heart  to  my  mother,  to  form  under  her  “ fair 
tendance  ” the  luminous  evening  glory  of  her  garden. 
And  on  summer  nights  this  stately  primrose  still 
blooms  in  moonlight  and  starlight,  though  the  gentle 
hand  that  planted  it  is  no  longer  there  : — 

“ Yon  rising  Moon  that  looks  for  us  again 
How  oft  hereafter  will  she  wax  and  wane 
How  oft  hereafter  look  for  us 
Through  this  same  Garden  — and  for  one  in  vain.” 

To  every  garden-bred  child  the  sudden  blossoming 
and  pale  shining  in  the  gloaming  have  ever  given 
the  evening  primrose  a special  tender  interest,  — a 
faintly  mystic  charm  through  the  chill  of  falling  dew 
and  the  dim  light,  and  through  a half-sad  atmosphere 
which  has  always  encircled  the  flower,  and  has  been 
felt  by  many  of  the  poets,  making  them  seldom  sing 
the  evening  primrose  as  a flower  of  happiness. 

With  the  good  night  of  children 
to  the  flowers,  I close  this 
record  of  old-time 
child  life. 


Index 


Ye  labor  and  ye  patience,  ye  judgment  and  ye  penetration  which 
are  required  to  make  a good  index  is  only  known  to  those  who  have 
gone  through  with  this  most  necessary  and  painful  but  least  praised 
part  of  a publication. 

— William  Oldys,  l68j . 


Abcie.  See  Absey-book. 

Abiel,  the  name,  15. 

Abigail,  the  name,  16. 

Absey-book,  127,  229. 

Accidetice,  Young  Lady's , 96,  135 ; 
Cheever's,  134. 

Acorn  cups,  playthings  of,  386. 

Adams,  Abigail,  quoted,  93-94;  patri- 
otism of,  17 1. 

Adams,  John  Quincy,  birth  of,  40;  let- 
ters of,  147,  169-170;  patriotic  edu- 
cation of,  170  et  seq. 

Advertisements,  of  booksellers,  267 
et  seq. 

Assop’s  Fables,  264. 

Afflicted  Parents,  257. 

Agates,  375. 

Albany,  N.  Y.,  education  of  girls  in, 
94- 

Alleys,  375. 

“All  the  birds  of  the  air,"  348. 
Almanacs,  notes  in,  163. 

Almonds,  32. 

Alphabet-blocks,  182. 

American  Preceptor,  144. 
Amphidromia,  18. 

Andover,  Mass.,  school  at,  83,  134. 
Angelica  candy,  31. 


| Appleseed  rhyme,  381. 

Appleton,  Samuel,  as  teacher,  98. 
j Arithmetic,  manuscript,  79,  138,  139; 
study  of,  138;  verses  in,  147,  142; 
printed,  140  et  seq.;  rules  on  birch 
bark,  79. 

| Arsemetrick,  140. 

Arte  of  Vulgar  Arithmetike , 142. 
Ascham,  Roger,  91 ; habits  of,  352. 
Ashes,  saved  by  school  children,  77. 
Astrology,  5-6. 

Augrime,  140. 

Austin,  Madam,  names  of  children,  16. 

Babees  Book,  215,  220. 

Babies.  See  Dolls. 

Backboard,  105,  107. 

Ball,  games  of,  347. 

Ball,  Mary,  quoted,  95. 

Balsam,  dolls  of,  384. 

Bangwell  Putt,  366. 

Baptism,  ill  winter,  4. 

Barbadoes,  scholars  from,  86  et  seq. 
Barbauld,  Mrs.,  learnt  upon,  298  et  seq. 
Barnard,  John,  quoted,  97,  200. 
Barring-out,  77. 

Baskets,  of  fruit  stones,  390;  of  burs, 
392. 


405 


Bathing, 


40  6 


Index 


Bathing,  25,  26;  Locke's  ideas  about, 
25 ; old-time  lack  of,  27-29 ; on  ship- 
board, 28. 

Battledore  and  shuttlecock,  376. 

Battledore  book,  125  et  seq. 

Beans,  as  food,  30. 

Bears,  hunting  of,  316. 

Bearing-cloth,  23. 

Beechen  roundels,  335. 

Beer,  drinking  of,  26. 

Bendall,  Edward,  names  of  children, 
17- 

Berkeley,  Governor,  his  narrow  mind, 
64;  quoted,  65. 

Berries,  as  food,  30. 

Bethlehem,  Pa.,  schools  at,  114. 

Bewick,  cuts  of,  258,  286,  289,  29r,  293. 

Bible,  as  guide,  191 ; use  in  schools, 
203  et  seq. ; reading  of,  228 ; famil- 
iarity with,  228;  deprivation  of,  229;  | 
influence  of,  229 ; versification  of, 
258 ; abridgments  of,  258 ; texts  of, 
embroidered,  334. 

Bingham,  Caleb,  school  of,  96-97; 
books  of,  96,  135,  144. 

Birch,  for  rods,  196. 

Birch  bark,  for  paper,  79;  for  cradles, 
21 ; toys  of,  367,  390 ; letters  cut  of, 
395 1 cups  of,  395. 

Blackburn,  portraits  by,  37,  5T. 

Black-jacks,  32. 

Bladders  in  windpipe,  4. 

Blair,  Agan,  letter  of,  104-105. 

Blanchard,  Claude,  quoted,  13 1. 

Blankets,  21-23. 

Bleeding  heart,  383. 

Bloodroot,  ink  from,  398. 

Boarding  schools,  113  et  seq. 

Hoke  of  Curtasye , 215. 

Hoke  of  Nurture,  215. 

Book  of  Martyrs,  249. 

Bonner,  Jane,  portrait  of,  44-45. 

Borrowing,  of  books,  301,302. 

Boston,  land  allotment  of,  13 ; cakes  in, 
32 ; schools  of,  69,  99,  135 ; boarders 
in,  99;  writing-teachers  of,  152,  153; 


laws  in,  205;  funerals  in,  243;  chil- 
dren's books  in,  299;  style  of  writing, 
153- 

Bounds,  beating  the,  312  et  seq. 

Bowling,  350. 

Bowne,  Eliza  Southgate,  letters  of,  113, 
114. 

Bows  and  arrows,  371,  385. 

Boys’  pews,  246. 

Boy  Bishop's  Sermon,  193. 

Bradley,  Daniel,  infant  conversion  of, 

251- 

Bradford,  Governor,  christening  shirt 
and  mittens  of,  35 ; bearing-cloth  of, 
23;  quoted,  230-231,  353. 

Bradley  children,  61. 

Brainerd,  David  and  John,  childhood 
of,  223  et  seq.,  307  et  seq. 

Breaking  up,  in  school,  115. 
j Breeches,  62. 

Bristle-saving,  3T0. 

British  Instructor , 136. 

Brookline,  Mass.,  land  grants  in,  13. 

Broom-making,  308. 

Brother's  Gift,  281. 

Browne,  Sir  Thomas,  quoted,  57;  his 
early  maturity,  176. 

Brownell,  advertisement  of,  32T. 

Buck,  Richard,  children's  names,  14- 
15- 

Buckingham,  Joseph  T.,  precocity  of, 
184;  cited,  310. 

Bumble  bees,  trapping  of,  399. 

Bunyan,  John,  writings  of,  254-255. 

Bunyan,  Mrs.  John,  books  of,  249. 

Burr,  Aaron,  advice  to  daughter,  160- 
161. 

Burs,  playthings  of,  392. 

Busks,  106. 

Bussee,  199. 

Butcher,  Elizabeth,  infant  query  of,  251. 

Cakes,  groaning,  17 ; nurses’,  18 ; 
Meers,  32;  caraway,  31. 

Canterbury  bells,  389. 

Caraways,  31. 


Carefitl 


Index 


407 


Careful  Father  and  Pious  Child , 130. 
Cards,  playing,  353. 

Card-setting,  309. 

Carter,  Robert,  wardrobe  of,  55-56. 
Carolinas,  schools  of,  65. 

Caroline,  or  a Lesson  to  Cure  Vanity, 
293-294- 

Cary  children,  61. 

Cat  and  clay  chimney,  76. 

Catechism,  in  schools,  131 ; as  gifts,  258. 
Catechism  of  Health,  95. 

Cat-ladders,  382. 

Cat's-cradle,  346. 

Caudle,  drinking  of,  18. 

Cereal  foods,  29-31. 

Charlotte  Temple,  113. 

Chaucer,  cited,  211. 

Chastellux,  Marquis  de,  cited,  iio-m. 
Cheeses,  of  hollyhocks,  386;  of  mal- 
lows, 387. 

Cheever,  Ezekiel,  discipline  of,  200 ; 
grammar  of,  134. 

Chester,  England,  child  marriages  in, 
186  et  seq. 

Chesterfield,  Lord,  education  of  his 
son,  178-179;  quoted,  178. 

Child,  Tom,  44. 

Child's  Body  of  Divinity,  262. 

Child's  Companion , 144. 

Child's  New  Spelling  Book,  136. 
Chimney,  cat  and  clay,  76. 
Chokecherry-gathering,  309. 
Christening,  in  winter,  34. 

Christening  dress,  34  et  seq. 
Christening  party,  18. 

Christian's  Metamorphosis  Unfolded, 
255- 

Christian  Pilgrim,  255. 

Chuck  farthing,  347. 

Chuckstones,  375. 

Clap,  Roger,  names  of  children,  16. 
Clare,  quoted,  387. 

Clarissa,  or  The  Grateful  Orphan,  295. 
Clinches,  375. 

Clocks,  dandelion,  380. 

Coarseness  of  children’s  books,  291. 


Coasting,  350. 

Coats,  worn  by  boys,  41. 

Coat-of-arms,  323  et  seq. 

Cobnuts,  391. 

Cobwebs  to  Catch  Flies,  284,  290. 
Cocker's  Arithmetic,  140,  142. 
Cock-fighting,  352. 

Cock-throwing,  351. 

Codrington,  Richard,  quoted,  264,  265. 
Coffin,  Thomas  A.,  portrait  of,  52. 
Coleman,  Jane,  education  of,  91  et  seq. 
Coleman,  Lydia,  letters  of,  87-88,  102; 

guardianship  of,  87  et  seq.,  101  et  seq. 
Coleman,  President,  letter  of,  92. 

Colet,  91. 

College,  old  use  of  word,  277. 
Columbian  Orator,  144. 

Columbine,  wreaths  of,  394 ; playthings 
of,  398. 

Comets,  notions  about,  148,  240. 
Comfits,  87. 

Commonplace  books,  172  et  seq.;  of 
children,  173. 

Concord,  N.  H.,  funeral  at,  242-243. 
Connecticut,  schools  of,  68 ; early  laws 
of,  68. 

Conservatism  of  children,  378. 
Contagious  diseases,  5. 

Cookies,  32. 

Cookey-moulds,  124. 

Cooper,  Rebecca,  wooing  of,  188  et  seq. 
Copley,  portraits  by,  37, 49, 50,52, 53, 55. 
Copley  family,  55. 

Copybooks,  home-made,  79. 

Cordes,  Ellinor,  portrait,  48. 

Cornstalk,  watches  of,  393 ; fiddles  of, 
390- 

Corsets.  See  Stays. 

Cotton,  dress  of,  60. 

Cotton,  John,  130. 

Country  R /limes  for  Children,  255. 
Cowper,  William,  quoted,  375. 

Cradle,  of  Peregrine  White,  20 ; swing- 
ing, 21 ; of  birch  bark,  21 ; of  wicker, 
21 ; of  Indians,  21 ; cost  of,  21. 
Cradle  Hymn,  262-263. 


Criss-cross 


408 


Index 


Criss-cross  row,  118. 

Cromwell,  Oliver,  discipline  of,  193. 
Culverkeys,  398. 

Curtius,  Dr.,  201-202. 

Custis,  “ Miss,"  wardrobe  of,  56-57  ; 

harpsichord  of,  113. 

Custis  family,  portrait,  57. 

Cutler,  Manasseh,  quoted,  393. 

Cut-tail,  319. 

Cyphering.  See  Arithmetic. 

Daffy's  Elixir,  6. 

Daisies,  divination  with,  380;  chains 
of,  380. 

Dame  schools,  97. 

.Danbury,  Mass.,  spelling  in,  137. 

" Dance  barefoot,”  103. 

Dancing,  price  of  lessons,  103  ; " gyne- 
candrical,"  109 ; “petulant,”  no;  ser- 
mon against,  109-1x0;  repression  of. 
no;  formality  of,  no-in ; varied 
titles  of,  in. 

Dandelion,  chains,  409;  clocks,  380. 
Day  of  Doom,  252  et  seq. 

Dealings  with  the  Dead,  242. 

Death  and  Burial  of  Cock  Robin,  292. 
Deathbed  scenes,  257,  295. 

Death  rate,  4. 

Deer,  hunting  of,  316. 

Deland,  Margaret,  quoted,  402. 
Deming,  Mrs.,  letter  of,  99. 

De  Peyster  twins,  portrait  of,  45. 
Deportment,  105. 

Desks,  primitive,  75. 

Devil,  familiarity  with,  175  ; names  of, 
239- 

Devil's  playhouses,  247. 

Dialogue  between  Christ,  Youth,  and 
the  Devil,  131. 

Diaries,  of  adults,  163  et  seq. ; of  chil- 
dren, 164;  penmanship  of,  164. 
Diary  of  a Lady  of  Quality,  206. 
Dibstones,  375. 

Dielytra,  383. 

Diet,  of  children,  26,  29-30 ; Locke's 
notions  on,  26. 


Dilwor th’s  Speller,  136. 

Discipline,  in  American  schools,  196 
et  seq.;  in  English  schools,  192  et 
seq.;  Dr.  Johnson  on,  194;  in  Dutch 
schools,  194;  parental,  192;  of  ser- 
vants, 192;  of  grown  children,  192. 

Diseases  of  children,  4. 

Disinfection,  4-5. 

District  School,  155. 

Divine  Blossoms,  252. 

Divine  Emblems,  255. 

Divine  Songs  for  Children,  262. 

Dock,  Samuel,  character  of,  209  et  seq.  ; 
methods  of  teaching,  210;  quoted, 
211. 

Dod,.  Mr.,  book  of,  249. 

Dogs,  in  meeting-house,  245. 

Dolls,  antiquity  of,  363 ; as  fashion  con- 
veyors, 364-365;  Dutch,  365;  Bar- 
tholomew Fair,  365-366;  French, 
366-367;  of  hollyhocks,  384;  of  pop- 
pies, 384;  of  mertensia,  384;  of 
hickory-nuts,  390. 

Dorchester,  Mass.,  boys  of,  246. 

Dorchester  in  America,  165  et  seq.  ; 
churches  in,  166. 

Dorothy  Q.,  107-108. 

Double  names,  17. 

Downing,  Lucy,  christening  party,  18 ; 
on  son’s  marriage,  188. 

Doyle,  Sir  Francis,  quoted,  225. 

Dragon  flies,  notions  about,  399. 

Drainage,  4-5. 

Dream-books,  265. 

Dress,  laws  about,  45 ; in  book-cuts, 
293- 

Drift  of  the  forest.  315. 

Drunkenness,  of  school-teachers,  72. 

Dudley,  Governor,  179;  quoted,  2,  185. 

Dudley,  Paul,  185. 

Dulany,  Major,  on  school  plays,  116; 
on  letter  writing,  159-160. 

Dulany,  Mary  Grafton.  See  Mary 
Grafton. 

Dumps,  352. 

Dunton,  John,  quoted,  358. 

Dwight, 


Index 


Dwight,  Timothy,  precocity  of,  184- 
185. 

Dyves  Pragmaticus,  title  of,  30;  on 
sweetmeats,  30 ; on  books,  127  et seq. ; 
on  birch,  196. 

Earle,  Abigail,  handwriting  of,  151. 
Earle,  John,  quoted,  112;  cited,  164. 
Earle,  Professor,  cited,  136-137. 
Earrings,  47. 

Earwigs,  notions  about,  399. 

Edwards,  Jonathan,  education  of,  92- 
93;  precocity  of,  180;  letter  of,  180- 
181 ; on  spiders,  181 ; his  book,  251. 
Edwards,  Timothy,  letter  of,  92. 
Elderberries,  squirt  guns  of,  390;  ink 
from,  398. 

Elyot,  Sir  Thomas,  quoted,  357. 
Emerson,  Ralph  Waldo,  quoted,  215. 
Endicott,  Governor,  quoted,  188  et  seq. 
Epidemics,  4. 

Equality,  sign  of,  139. 

Erasmus,  91. 

Erasmus  Hall,  126. 

Eringo-root,  candied,  31. 

Ernst,  C.  W.,  quoted,  31. 

Essex,  Earl  of,  child  marriage  of,  187. 
Essays  to  do  Good , 255. 

Etiquette,  regard  for,  222  et  seq. 

Eton,  games  at,  358. 

Evelyn,  John,  quoted,  177,  23^232;  on 
child  marriage,  187 ; cited,  283. 
Evelyn,  Richard,  character  of,  177 
et  seq. 

Evenings  at  Home , 295. 

Every  Young  Man's  Companion  in 
Drawing , 54. 

Exhibitions,  school,  115  et  seq. 
Exposure,  at  baptism,  4. 

Fairchild  Family , 295  et  seq. 

Falkland,  Elizabeth,  discipline  of,  193. 
Falkland,  Letice,  quoted,  232. 

Family,  size  of,  11  et  seq. 

Farm  life,  change  of  duties  in,  308. 
Fathergone,  the  name,  15. 


4°9 

Father's  Gift , story  from,  279-280. 

Fear  of  the  Lord,  227,  237. 
Feather-work,  322. 

Feet,  wetting  of,  25. 

Ferule,  in  Dutch  schools,  194;  deriva- 
tion of,  195. 

Fescue,  122. 

Fiddle,  cornstalk,  390. 

Finger-sticking,  213. 

Fiske,  Reverend  Moses,  family  of,  12 ; 
thrift  of,  12. 

Flagg,  James,  portrait,  48-49. 

Flagg,  Polly,  portrait,  48. 

Flannel  sheet,  21. 

Flapper,  197. 

Flatbush,  L.  I.,  school  at,  74,  202 ; curi- 
ous discipline  of  scholars,  199-200. 
Flax,  children’s  work  on,  306. 
Fleetwood-Quincy  sampler,  329  et  seq. 
Fleetwood,  Anne, '330. 

Fleetwood,  Miles,  330. 

Floor,  of  earth,  75  ; puncheon,  75. 
Flower  de  luce,  playthings  of,  382-383. 
Food.  See  Diet. 

Food  for  the  Mind,  275. 

Foot-ball,  354  et  seq. 

Ford,  P.  L.,  cited,  128. 

Four-o’clock,  wreaths  of,  394. 

Foxes,  hunting  of,  316. 

Foxgloves,  as  playthings,  389,  397. 
Franklin,  Benjamin,  family  of,  n-12; 
proverbs  of,  136;  early  reading  of, 
255 1 practical  jest  of,  290-291. 
Franklin,  Conn.,  teachers’  pay  in,  98. 
Fredericksburg,  Va.,  school  in,  66. 
Froissart,  Jean,  quoted,  342-343. 

Fruit,  eating  of,  26;  native,  30. 

Funeral,  of  servant,  205-206:  children 
at,  242. 

Funeral  pieces,  325. 

Furnivall,  Dr.,  cited,  186. 

Games,  antiquity  of,  349;  exact  recur- 
rence of,  360. 

Gardeners'  garters,  390. 

Geographical  Catechism,  148. 

Geography, 


410 


Index 


Geography,  study  of,  147  etseq. 

Germans,  indifference  to  education, 71. 

Gershom,  the  name,  14. 

Gibbs,  Robert,  portrait  of,  43-44. 

Gibraltars,  Salem,  32. 

Gingerbread,  hornbooks  of,  124. 

Girls,  schools  for,  90  et  seq. ; in  Eng- 
land, 91;  school-hours  for,  95 ; price 
of  schooling  for,  96;  education  in 
New  York,  94,95 ; education  in  Provi 
dence,  R.  I.,  95 ; education  in  Salem 
Mass.,  95 ; discipline  of,  in  England 
192  et  seq. 

Glass-painting,  322. 

Go-cart,  23-24. 

Goldsmith,  Oliver,  quoted,  72;  chil 
dren's  books  by,  267,  270,  273,  287 
love  of  catches,  287. 

Good  Child's  Little  Hymn  Book,  257. 

Goodrich,  S.  G.  See  Peter  Parley. 

Goody  Two  Shoes,  authorship  of,  270: 
title-page  of,  270-271 ; chapter  from 
271-272:  Charles  Lamb  on,  298. 

Goosequill  pens,  154. 

Gore  family,  portrait,  50. 

Gordon,  G.  L.,  hornbook  of,  119. 

Grafton,  Mary,  letter  of,  in,  115. 

Grafton,  Seeth,  15. 

Grammar,  study  of,  133  et  seq. 

Grammar  of  the  English  Tongue,  135 

Grammarian's  Funeral,  134. 

Grammar  School,  221-222. 

Grant,  Anne,  quoted,  94. 

Grasshoppers,  rhyme  to,  399. 

Green,  family  of,  11. 

Green,  cited,  228. 

Greene,  Nathanael,  daughter  of,  107. 

Grey,  Lady  jane,  punishment  of,  193. 

Gridley,  Richard,  children’s  names 
i7- 

Groaning-beer,  18. 

Groaning-cakes,  17. 

“ Grown-ups,"  50. 

Grymes  family,  portrait,  50. 

Guessbooks,  275. 

Gulliver's  Travels,  265. 


Hair,  dressing  of,  59. 

Hall,  Richard,  his  schooling,  86  et  seq.  ; 
letters  of,  87. 

Hall,  Sarah,  her  schooling,  101-103; 

marriage,  103-104. 

Hall,  Hugh,  letters  of,  86,  102. 
Halliwell,  cited,  143. 

Hammond,  John,  quoted,  11. 
Handwriting.  See  Penmanship. 
Hancock,  John,  teacher  of,  152;  hand- 
writing of,  152. 

Hands  of  Great  Britain,  153. 

Hannah,  the  name,  16. 

Harpsichords,  112-113. 

Hartford-  Mass.,  servants  in,  205. 
Harvard  College,  establishment  of,  64; 
library  of,  180;  bequest  to,  152;  cur- 
riculum of,  185 ; etiquette  at,  222. 
Hatfield,  Mass.,  school  at,  96. 

I Hawkins,  P'rancis,  precocity  of,  219. 
Head-dress,  59. 

Health-drinking,  217,  293. 

| Heartsease,  playthings  of,  398. 
j Heddle-frame,  305. 

Hedge-teachers,  65. 

Hell,  familiarity  with,  175. 

Henry,  Patrick,  saying  of,  67;  pro- 
nunciation of,  67. 

[ Heraldry,  domination  of,  212. 

Herbs,  in  medicine,  6-8. 

Hieroglyphick  Bible,  258. 

| Higginson,  Hetty,  school  of,  199. 
j History  of  the  Holy  Jesus,  260,  261. 
j History  of  the  Revolution,  290. 

History  of  Tommy  Careless,  281. 
j Hoar,  Bridget,  84. 

I Hoar,  Mary,  letter  of,  83-84. 
j Hobby,  teacher  of  Washington,  65. 
Holbrook,  Abiah,  funeral  notice  of, 
152 ; accomplishments  of,  152-153. 
Hollyhocks,  cheeses  from,  386;  dolls 
of,  384. 

; Holmes,  Oliver  Wendell,  quoted,  25, 
107,  108,  109,  243-244,  303,  394. 

\ Holmes,  Thomas,  quoted,  71. 

| Holy  Innocents'  Day,  261. 

Homespun, 


Index 


4” 


Homespun,  infant’s  dress  of,  37. 

Honey,  387. 

“ Honey  flowers  of  New  Testament,” 
204. 

Honeypots,  345-346. 

Honeysuckle,  387. 

Hopscotch,  343-344- 

Hornbook,  description,  118  ; in  Amer- 
ica, 1 19-120,  122 ; rarity  of,  121 ; price 
of,  121;  gilt,  122;  of  silver,  122;  of 
ivory,  122 ; names  for,  124 ; of  ginger- 
bread,124;  symbolism  of,  125. 

Horsechestnuts,  as  playthings,  391. 

Hoverer,  318. 

Howell,  James,  quoted,  155. 

Hunt,  Nicholas,  143. 

Hunters,  tales  of,  311,  312. 

Huntington,  Miss,  dress  of,  60. 

Hylles,  Thomas,  142. 

Illustration,  of  children’s  books,  285 
et  sec], 

Indians,  cradles  of,  21 ; names  of  foods, 
29-30;  hunting  methods  of,  316  et 
seg. ,-  foot-ball  of,  357-358. 

Ink,  home-made,  154-155  ; from 
flowers,  398. 

Ink-powder,  154. 

Irving,  Washington,  quoted,  270,  287. 

Italian  Relation  of  England , 82. 

Jack,  signification  of  word,  369. 

Jack-in-pulpit,  388. 

Jack-knife,  power  of,  254;  use  of,  308; 
derivation  of,  370  ; of  old  times,  370. 

Jack-o’-lanterns,  396. 

Jackstones,  375. 

Jack  the  Giant  Killer , 267. 

Janeway,  James,  books  of,  249,  251. 

Jest-books,  275. 

Jewel  weed,  as  playthings,  397. 

“ Job’s  Trouble,"  389. 

Joe  Miller's  Guess-Book,  275. 

Johnson,  Samuel,  school-life  of,  193- 
194;  on  discipline,  194;  manners  of, 
215. 


Johnson,  Governor,  infant's  dress  of,  35. 
Joseph,  the  name,  15. 

Josselyn,  John,  quoted,  397. 

Juvenile  Pastimes , 346. 

Keats,  quoted,  387,  402. 

Keeler,  Sarah,  sum-book  of,  139. 
Kingsley,  Charles,  quoted,  311. 
Knitting,  339. 

Knotwork,  described,  152. 

Lace,  pillow,  339 ; darned,  341. 
Lady-bug,  rhyme  to,  399. 

Ladies'  delights,  folk  names  of,  383. 
Lamb,  Charles,  quoted,  on  children’", 
books,  298  et  seg. 

Lancasterian  System,  punishments  of, 
200-201. 

Land,  allotment  of,  13. 

Larkspur,  wreaths  of,  393-394. 

Latin,  study  of,  133  et  seg.  ; 184  et  seg. 
Laurens,  Henry,  letter  of,  78. 

Laurens,  Martha,  precocity  of,  183. 
Leather,  worn  by  children,  77. 

Lester,  Master,  202. 

Letter,  defined  in  rhyme,  136. 

Letter  dice,  182. 

Letters,  sentiment  of,  155  et  seg. ; of 
Puritan  women,  156;  mode  of  ad-- 
dressing,  156,  157;  formality  of, 

| 161. 

Letter-writing,  taught  by  Samuel  Dock, 
205. 

Lewis,  John,  wards  of,  55. 

Lilacs,  wreaths  of,  394. 

Lilly's  Grammar , 133. 

Limning,  materials  for,  54;  teaching 
of.  54-55- 

Lincoln,  Abraham,  sum-book  of,  138; 

early  reading  of,  255. 

Linen,  for  clothing,  34. 

Little  Book  for  Little  Children,  254. 
Little  Prattle  over  a Book  of  Prints, 
23- 

Live-forever,  as  playthings,  388 ; folk 
names  of,  389 ; ink  from,  399. 

Livingstone, 


4 12 


Index 


Livingstone,  John,  wife  of,  47. 

Livingstone,  John  L.,  wife  of,  46. 

Livingstone,  William,  skates  of,  372. 

Lloyd,  Joseph,  school-feast  of,  77. 

Locke,  popularity  of,  24 ; on  children’s 
books,  264;  good  sense  of,  25;  ad- 
vanced thought  of,  25-26 ; on  bath- 
ing, 25 ; on  diet,  26 ; quoted,  117, 
133 ; on  learning  letters,  182. 

London,  letter  to  Bishop  of,  66. 

Looking  Glass  for  Children , 251  et  seq. 

Looking  Glass  for  the  Mind,  292  et  seq. 

Lord,  Mary,  portrait,  52-53. 

Lotteries,  to  support  schools,  68. 

Lovell,  Master,  197. 

Lybbet,  196. 

Lynde,  Dorothy,  sampler  of,  333. 

Lytill  Children's  Lytill  Boke,  215. 

Madison,  Dolly,  57. 

Maine,  ink  made  in,  154. 

Majority,  age  of,  190. 

Mallow  cheeses,  387. 

Maple,  bark  used  for  ink,  155;  sugar 
from,  311. 

Maps,  lack  of,  78. 

Mara,  the  name,  14. 

Marbles,  374-375. 

Marie  Antoinette,  child's  dress,  62. 

Marriages  of  children,  186  et  seq. 

Martin,  G.  W.,  quoted,  122. 

Marvel-of-Peru,  wreaths  of,  394. 

Masks,  56;  of  linen,  57. 

Massachusetts,  school  laws  of,  64,  67- 
68,  70;  ink  made  in,  154;  schools 
in,  64,  68. 

Mather,  Cotton,  quoted,  12,  67,  131, 
134,  172,  223,  225,  236 ; family  of,  12  ; 
character  of,  209,  233-234 ; book  by, 
250. 

Mather,  Increase,  as  school  committee, 
67 ; quoted,  109. 

Mather,  Nathaniel,  239,  254. 

Mather,  Samuel,  quoted,  234. 

Mather,  Samuel,  Sr.,  239-240. 

Mather  Papers,  156. 


May  apples,  as  playthings,  397. 

McMaster,  Mr.,  cited,  78. 

Medford,  Mass.,  boarding-school  at, 
114. 

Medicine,  astrology  in,  6 ; sympa- 
thetical,  6 ; secret,  6 ; ingredients  of, 
7 ; revolt  against,  10-n. 

Meigs,  Return  Jonathan,  17. 

Memoirs  of  an  American  Lady,  94. 

Mertensia,  playthings  of,  384. 

Merry  Tales  of  the  Wise  Men  of 
Gotham,  266,  267,  275. 

Meteorology,  6. 

Microcosmographie , 112. 

Middletown,  Conn.,  school  at,  96. 

Midway  Church,  Dorchester,  Ga.,  165- 
166. 

Milkweed,  playthings  of,  392. 

Ministers,  families  of,  12;  as  school 
committee,  67  ; as  teachers,  83. 

Mintsticks,  name  of  rods,  204. 

Minturn,  Anne  R.,  hornbook  of,  119. 

Mirror  of  Compliments,  221. 

Miss,  the  term,  223. 

Mission,  quoted,  17  ; 354. 

Mithridate,  7. 

Mittens,  of  Gov.  Bradford,  35;  of  lace, 
36 ; of  nankeen,  36. 

“ Money  in  both  Pockets,”  397. 

Monitorial  system,  97. 

Monkshood,  playthings  of,  398. 

Morning-glory,  389. 

Morse's  Geography,  147  et  seq. 

Mother,  sayings  of  a,  64. 

Mother  Goose's  Melodies,  174,  286  et 
seq. 

Mountfort,  Jonathan,  portrait  of,  49; 
romantic  marriage  of,  49. 

Mourning  pieces,  325. 

Mulberries,  planting  of,  310;  leaves  of, 

311. 

“ Multiplication  is  vexation,"  143. 

Murder,  of  servant,  205. 

Music,  love  of,  112;  simplicity  of,  112; 
in  colleges,  21 1. 

My  Mother,  imitations  of,  298. 

Names, 


Index 


Names,  curious,  14-17 ; biblical,  15 ; 
double,  17. 

Nankeen,  60. 

Narratives  of  Conversion,  251. 

Necklace,  anodyne,  9;  of  berries,  10; 
of  fawn’s  teeth,  10 ; of  wolf  fangs, 
11. 

Necromancy,  5-6. 

Negro  servant,  funeral  of,  205. 

Nero,  medicine  of,  7. 

New  Academy  of  Compliments , 221. 

New  Amsterdam,  first  teacher  in,  74; 
schools  in,  74-75 ; discipline  in,  201- 
202. 

Newbery,  John,  life  of,  266;  publica- 
tions of,  267,  287 ; advertising  of, 
268-269. 

New  England,  schools  in,  64;  traits  of 
children,  67 ; controlled  by  ministers, 
67 ; perambulating  the  bounds  in, 
314- 

New  England  Primer,  vast  number 
of,  128 ; nickname  of,  128 ; descrip- 
tion of,  128  et  seq. 

New  Hampshire,  school-feast  in,  77. 

N ew  J ersey,  school  in , 77. 

New  Lottery  Book,  274-275. 

News,  lack  of,  213-2 14. 

Newspapers,  in  school,  97. 

New  York,  schools  of,  74  et  seq.;  edu- 
cation of  girls  in,  94-95. 

Nicknames,  199. 

“ Nigger  heads,”  382. 

North,  Francis,  Baron  Guildford,  letter 
about,  41-42;  on  commonplacing, 
172-1:73. 

Northfield,  Mass.,  school  in,  98. 

Norton,  J.  W,,  hornbook  of,  119. 

Note-taking,  of  Puritan  women,  164. 

Nott,  Eliphalet,  cited,  197. 

Nurse  Truelove' s Christmas  Box,  277— 
278. 

Nurse  Truelove' s New  Years  Gift,  ad- 
vertisement of,  268 ; title-page  of, 
276. 

Nut-gathering,  309. 


4U 

Oglethorpe,  ship-stores  of,  28. 

Old-field  school,  65. 

Onion-tying,  309. 

Oracles,  flower,  380-381. 

Oranges,  32. 

Ordination  balls,  no. 

Ome,  R.  T.,  petticoat  of,  335. 

Orpine.  See  Live-forever. 

Osprey  bone,  10. 

Ox-eye  daisy,  380,  382. 

Pages  and  Pictures  from  Forgotten 
Children's  Books,  386. 

Pall  bearers,  boys,  242;  girls,  243. 

Pansies,  children's  notions  about, 

383- 

Paper,  oiled,  for  windows,  76  ; scarcity 
of,  79 ; flowered,  301. 

Parables,  books  of,  258;  definition  of, 
230. 

Parable  against  Persecution,  291. 

Parent's  Assistant,  295. 

Parkman,  Dr.,  diary  of,  164. 

Parley,  Peter,  books  of,  303-304. 

Passing  of  the  Stall-Fed  Ox  and  the 
Farmer's  Boy,  308. 

Paston,  Agnes,  quoted,  192. 

Paston  Letters,  cited,  83. 

Patillo,  Henry,  148. 

Patriotism,  teaching  of,  171 ; juvenile 
marks  of,  172. 

Payne,  Dolly,  dress  of,  57. 

Peaked  block,  197. 

Pedlers,  of  birch  rods,  196. 

Peleg,  the  name,  15. 

Pemberton,  Samuel,  portrait  of,  51. 

Pencils,  use  of,  78. 

Penmanship,  how  taught,  150 ; of  adult 
colonists,  150,  151 ; of  school  chil- 
dren, 151 ; of  Abigail  Earle,  151 ; 
of  Anna  Green  Winslow,  151 ; of 
Governor  Bradford,  151 ; of  John 
Winthrop,  150 ; of  Anna  Reynolds, 
152. 

Pennoyer,  Frances,  quoted,  207. 

Pennsylvania,  schools  111,71-72;  school- 
houses. 


4 r 4 


Index 


houses  in,  75  ; barring  out,  77  ; 
teachers  in,  204. 

Pennsylvania  Farmer , 72. 

Pens,  of  olden  times,  154. 

Penwiper,  not  used,  153-154. 

Peonies,  playthings  of,  398. 

Pepperell  children,  portrait,  52. 

Pepperell,  Sir  William,  order  of,  57. 

Pepys,  Samuel,  on  bathing,  27  ; friend 
of  Cocker,  142;  cited,  206,  313. 

Perambulating  the  bounds.  See 
Bounds. 

Perry,  Reverend  Joseph,  medicine  of, 
7-8- 

Petticoats,  embroidered,  335. 

Philadelphia,  schools  of,  71. 

Phips,  Sir  William,  family  of,  11. 

Phlox,  wreaths  of,  394. 

Pierpont,  John,  quoted,  390. 

Pigeons,  shooting  of,  317  et  seq. 

Pike,  Nicholas,  arithmetic  of,  144- 
H5- 

Pilgrim's  Progress,  254-255,  265,  312. 

Pillory,  200. 

Pin-a-sights,  400. 

Pinckney,  Charles  C.,  education  of, 
180-183. 

Pinckney,  Eliza  L.,  quoted,  180-183. 

Pincushion,  gift  of,  18-19. 

Pine-needles,  playthings  of,  394. 

Pious  Motions  and  Devout  Exercises, 
etc.,  251. 

Pitch  and  hustle,  347. 

Pitkin,  Jerusha,  embroidery  of,  324- 
325- 

Pitman,  John,  precocity  of,  185-186. 

Plaine  Mans  Pathway  to  Heaven,  248, 
249- 

Plays,  in  schools,  115  et  seq. 

Plum  trees,  gum  from,  387. 

Plummets,  use  of,  79 ; manufacture  of, 
79- 

Points,  313. 

Poison,  345. 

Pokeberries,  dye  from,  398. 

Poor  Robin's  Almanack,  18,  21. 


Pope,  quoted,  148. 

Pops,  389. 

Poppies,  playthings  of,  384,  386. 

“ Poppy-show,”  400. 

Porter,  Dr.,  cited,  247. 

Portulaca,  as  playthings,  388. 

Post,  Cathalina,  47. 

Potash  saved  for  treat,  77. 
Potation-penny,  77. 

Prating,  317. 

Prayer,  “ Now  I lay  me,"  etc.,  130. 
Present,  in  address,  157. 

Pretty  Little  Pocket  Book,  346,  354,  374. 
Primer,  defined,  128. 

Primroses,  children’s  interest  in,  402. 
Prince  Library,  156. 

Prior,  quoted,  124. 

Processioning.  See  Bounds. 

Proctor,  Master,  153. 

Prpdigal  Daughter,  256. 

Profanity,  punished,  203. 

Prophecy  of  a child,  2-3. 

Prosperity  of  settlers,  3. 

Providence,  R.  I.,  education  of  girls  in, 
95-96- 

Provisions  on  shipboard,  28. 
Pumpkins,  seeds,  386;  trombones  of, 
390;  lettering  of,  396;  lanterns  of, 
396. 

Puncheon  floors,  75. 

Punishments  of  scholars.  See  Disci- 
pline and  Schools. 

Puppets.  See  Dolls. 

| Quakers,  schools  of,  71. 

Quills.  See  Goosequills. 

Quilts,  21 ; piecing  of,  339. 

Quincy,  Dorothy,  107-108. 

Quincy,  Elizabeth,  108-109. 

Quincy,  Elizabeth  Morton,  115-116, 
202. 

Quincy,  John,  portrait  of,  40-43. 
Quincy,  Josiah,  rearing  of,  25-26; 
school  life  of,  83,  134. 

Rabelais,  on  abridgments,  300. 

Raisins 


Index 


415 


Raisins  of  the  sun,  32. 

Raritan,  N.  J.,  schoolhouse  at,  76. 
Rattlesnakes,  bounties  on,  316. 

Ravenel,  Daniel,  portrait,  48. 

Rawhide,  204. 

Rawson,  Susannah,  113. 

Rawson,  William,  family  of,  12. 
Reading-boards,  126. 

R eadhig-m  ade-easies , 136. 

Record's  Arithmetic , 140. 
Redemptioners,  as  teachers,  72. 
Reformed  Virginian  Silk  Worm,  310. 
Religio  Medici,  176. 

Ribbon-grass,  390. 

Richards,  Mary,  sampler  of,  338. 
Rickets,  new  disease,  7 ; treatment  of, 
7-8. 

Riddles,  in  commonplace  book,  174; 

old-time  esteem  of,  275. 

Riding  for  the  goose,  352. 

Rhyme, ' grammar  in,  135-136;  arith- 
metic in,  141,  142. 

Robinson  Crusoe,  265. 

Rock,  for  spinning,  305. 

Rock  candy,  32. 

Roelantsen,  Adam,  74. 

Rogers,  Ezekiel,  quoted,  235. 

Rogers,  John,  burning  of,  130. 

Roll,  for  hair,  59. 

Ropes,  Seeth,  15. 

Rose-hips,  as  playthings,  386,  397, 
400. 

Rosy-cakes,  401. 

Rubila,  7. 

Ruskin,  quoted,  342. 

Sailors,  interest  in,  319  et  seq. 

Salem,  laws  in,  68;  curious  custom 
in,  69;  schools  in,  68;  punishments 
in,  199 ; seating  boys  in,  246. 

Salem  Gibraltar's,  32. 

Saltonstall,  Elizabeth,  letter  of,  100-101. 
Sampler,  derivation  of,  327;  descrip- 
tion, 328  ; verses  of,  328  et  seq.;  age 
of,  329. 

Sanford  and  Merton , 295,  297, 


Sanitation,  unknown,  4-5. 

Sarah,  the  name,  16. 

Sargent,  L.  M.,  quoted,  242. 

Satten,  397. 

Schole  of  Vertue,  215,  222,  352. 

Schools,  grammar,  old-field,  65;  at- 
tended by  Washington,  65-66  ; free, 
65;  fires  in,  69-70;  furniture  of,  78 
et  seq. ; for  boarders,  113  et  seq.  ; 
treats  in,  77 ; fare  in,  83 ; mode  of 
study  in,  134. 

School  feasts,  77. 

School  fields,  68. 

Schoolhouse,  building  of,  75;  descrip- 
tions of,  75,  76;  furnishings  of,  75- 
76 ; discomforts  of,  76 ; windows  of, 
76 ; in  Raritan,  77. 

School-meadows,  68. 

School-teachers,,  character  of,  72 ; 
Scotch,  73 ; contract  with,  74-75 ; 
Dutch,  73-74;  women,  97;  pay  of, 
68, 96-97,  103 ; English,  192 ; cruelty 
of,  204. 

School-treats,  77. 

School  wood,  69-70. 

School  of  Manners,  219,  222. 

Scotch-hoppers.  See  Hopscotch. 

Scottow,  Joshua,  quoted,  2;  his  daugh- 
ter, 86. 

Scribbling  in  books,  161  et  seq. 

Seaborn,  the  name,  15. 

Seating  the  meeting,  223,  247. 

Seats  in  school,  75. 

Seeth,  the  name,  15. 

Servants,  discipline  of,  204  et  seq. 

Sewall,  Elizabeth,  237,  238. 

Sewall,  Joseph,  hornbook  of,  122 ; origi- 
nal sin  of,  208. 

Sewall,  Rebeka,  223. 

Sewall,  Samuel,  quoted,  4,  15,  16,  32, 
44,  122,  208,  237,  238,  351 ; diary  of, 
164, 205 ; tenderness  of,  208 ; servant 
of,  205 ; at  funerals,  242. 

Shakespeare,  first  sold  in  Boston,  180 ; 
songs  from,  287. 

Shepherd,  Thomas,  funeral  of,  242. 

Sheriff, 


416 


Index 


Sheriff,  standing  of,  283. 

Sherman,  John,  family  of,  12. 
Shippack,  Pa.,  school  at,  202  et  seq. 
Shirts,  of  infants,  34-35. 

Shoes,  57-58. 

Shoe-pegs,  359. 

Shorter  Catechism,  130-131. 

Shovel  board,  351. 

Silk  culture,  310-3x1. 

Silsbee,  Mrs.,  cited,  225. 

Sir  Charles  Grandison,  300. 

Skating,  371  et  seq. 

Slander,  lawsuits  for,  213. 

Slates,  use  of,  80,  8x. 

Sleeves,  virago,  43;  hanging,  43-44. 
Slide-groat,  351. 

Small-pox,  4. 

Smibert,  portraits  by,  37,  48,  107. 
Smith,  John,  quoted,  319. 

Smith,  William,  cited,  94-95. 

Snails,  rhyme  to,  399. 

Snail-water,  6. 

Snake-grass,  396. 

Snuff-taking,  by  children,  77. 

Spelling,  variety  of,  136 ; of  Paradise 
Lost,  137 ; teaching  of,  137. 
Spelling-books,  136  et  seq. 
Spending-money,  308  et  seq. 

Spinets,  112. 

Spiderwort,  ink  from,  398. 

Spinning,  for  children,  305  et  seq. 
Spiritual  Milk  for  Babes,  130. 

Sports  of  the  Innyards,  351. 

Squawks,  390. 

Squirrels,  bounties  on,  316. 

Stalking  head,  316. 

Standing-stool,  23. 

Standish,  Lora,  sampler  of,  328. 

Stays,  56-57,  58;  of  tin,  58;  for  boys, 
58- 

Stitches,  old  time,  337-338. 

Stool-ball,  354. 

Storer,  Elizabeth,  107. 

Stuart,  Gilbert,  37. 

Stubbes,  Phillip,  quoted,  356. 

Suckets,  31. 


Sum-books,  138  et  seq. 

Sumner,  Mary  Osgood,  166  et  seq.; 

monitor  of,  167  et  seq. 

Sumptuary  laws,  45. 

Sunday,  observance  of,  243  et  seq. 
Sunday-school  books,  304. 

Sunflower  seeds,  386. 

Superstition,  240-241. 

Sweetmeats,  30. 

Swimming,  prohibited,  244. 
Syllabarium,  128. 

Tag,  various  games  of,  344  et  seq. 
Tambour-work,  341. 

Tape-weaving,  305. 

Tattling  stick,  197. 

Taws,  204. 

Taylor,  Ann,  298. 

Taylor,  Bayard,  quoted,  72. 

Taylor,  John,  quoted,  337-338. 
Teachers.  See  School-teachers. 
Teething,  death  by,  xo. 

Ten  Broeck,  John,  letter  of,  80-81. 

Ten  Broeck,  Katherine,  portrait  of, 
47- 

Thayer,  Mrs.  Sarah,  family  of,  13. 
Thimble,  first,  338. 

Thimell-pie,  198. 

11  Thirty  days  hath  September,”  etc., 
143- 

Thistles,  playthings  of,  392. 

Thomas,  Gabriel,  quoted,  11. 

Thomas,  Isaiah,  books  printed  by, 
219,  220,  221,  269,  273,  275,  287,  300; 
character  of,  269. 

Thornton,  Alice,  her  bathing,  28. 
Thoughts  Concerting  Education,  117. 
Thumb  Bible,  258. 

Tick-tack,  350. 

Tileston,  Johnny,  153-154. 

Tithingman,  duties  of,  244-245. 
Title-page  lore,  161  et  seq. 

Todd,  John,  discipline  of,  204. 

Token  for  Children,  etc.,  249. 

Tommy  Trip's  History  of  Beasts  and 
Birds,  273. 


Tom 


Index 


Tom  Thumb's  Play  Book , 270. 

Tops,  343. 

Torrey  Papers,  156. 

Toss-about,  284,  290. 

Town,  S.,  on  slates,  80. 

Townes  cradle,  21. 

Toys,  home-made,  367,  371 ; of  tin, 
367;  Chinese,  368;  ancient,  371. 
Tree  of  life,  embroidered,  326. 

Trock,  330. 

Trombones,  of  leaf-stalks,  390. 
Trouncing,  197. 

True  Relation  of  the  Flourishing  State 
of  Philadelphia , 71. 

Trumbull,  portraits  by,  37,  53. 

Tryon,  Governor,  child  of,  57. 

Tuer,  Andrew  W.,  125,  385. 

Tunkers’  aversion  to  education,  72. 
Turell,  Jane.  See  Jane  Colemen. 
Turkeys,  trapping  of,  317. 

Tutor's  Guide,  143. 

Twitch-up,  318. 

Tylor,  cited,  385. 

Unipod,  199. 

Vails,  18. 

Valentines,  of  flowers,  393. 

Van  Cortlandt  family  names,  46. 

Van  Cortlandt,  Mrs.,  quoted,  338-339. 
Venice  treacle,  7. 

Vermin-hunting,  316. 

Vermont,  ink  made  in,  154. 

Verney,  Sir  Ralph,  on  girls'  education, 
91. 

Verney,  memoirs,  cited,  28,  83. 

Verstile,  Wm.,  portrait  of,  53 ; letter 
about,  53-54 ; instruction  of,  54-55. 
Vice  in  its  proper  shape,  302. 

Village  School,  226. 

Vinegar,  as  disinfectant,  4. 

Violets,  fighting,  382. 

Vipers,  in  medicine,  7. 

Virginals,  112. 

Virginia,  schools  in,  64,  65,  66;  planta- 
tions scattered,  66 ; girls’  education  in, 


417 

95 ; religious  observance  in,  232-233 ; 
processioning  in,  314. 

Virtues,  as  names,  16. 

Vogelweide,  W.  von  der,  quoted,  381. 

Wadsworth,  portrait,  53. 

Washington,  George,  purchase  order 
of,  56;  schooling  of,  65-66;  manu- 
script books  of,  66 ; designs  relating 
to,  32S-326- 

Water,  cold,  bathing  in,  26-28 ; ancient 
aversion  to,  28,  102. 

Watts,  Dr.,  hymns  of,  260. 

Waxwork,  336. 

Weaving,  by  children,  306. 

Webster,  Noah,  Jr.,  quoted,  80;  books 
of,  136,  144. 

Weld,  Reverend  Abijah,  family  of,  12; 
thrift  of,  12. 

Welsh,  Charles,  book  of,  266;  quoted, 
273- 

Wendell,  Elizabeth.  See  Elizabeth 
Quincy. 

Wentworth,  John,  103. 

Wentworth,  William,  104. 

Wesley,  Samuel,  quoted,  258. 

West  Hartford,  Conn.,  schools  in,  70. 

Whispering  sticks,  198. 

Whistles,  of  willow,  390;  of  grass, 
390- 

White  Bible,  162. 

White,  Peregrine,  cradle  of,  20. 

White,  Thomas,  quoted,  248-249 ; book 
of,  254. 

White  House  Doll,  367. 

White-weed.  See  Daisy. 

Who  Killed  Cock  Robin,  quoted,  291- 
292. 

Wicker  cradle,  20-21. 

Wig-wearing  of  children,  51. 

Wigglesworth,  Michael,  252. 

Willard,  Samuel,  family  of,  12. 

William  and  Amelia,  293. 

Williams,  Ephraim,  quoted  on  writing, 
158-159- 

Windows,  of  greased  paper,  76. 

Windsor, 


Index 


418 


Windsor,  Conn.,  schools  in,  69;  boys’ 
pews  in,  247. 

Wine-drinking,  of  children,  102. 

Wingate’s  Arithmetic,  145. 

Winslow,  Edward,  portraits  of,  38  et 
seq. 

Winslow,  Anna  Green,  handwriting  of, 
quoted,  17,  19,  58,  59,  307;  dress  of, 
58-59;  letter  to,  99;  diary  of,  164, 
165  ; books  of,  301. 

Winslow  family,  arithmetic  of,  145. 

Winthrop,  John,  history  of,  2,  164; 
medicine  of,  7 ; quoted,  90 ; hand- 
writing of,  150 ; early  marriage  of,  190. 

Winthrop,  Waitstill,  122. 

Witchcraft,  241  et  seq. 

Woburn,  school  in,  97. 

Wolcott,  J.,  letter  of,  84-85. 

Wolves,  hunting  of,  315. 


Wood,  for  school  fires,  69-70;  farm- 
work  on,  308. 

Woodbridge,  Wm„  96. 

Worde,  Wynkyn  de,  193. 

Wordsworth,  quoted,  163. 

Worthy  Tenant , 294. 

Writing.  See  Penmanship. 
Writing-masters,  esteem  for,  150,  152; 

in  Boston,  153 ; funeral  notice  of,  152. 
Writing-paper,  156. 

Wynter,  John,  quoted,  206. 

Yoking  as  punishment,  198,  203. 

Young  Lady's  Accidence,  96,  135. 
Youth's  Behaviour , 27-28,  219. 

Youth's  Instructor  in  English  Tongue, 
159- 

Zurishaddai,  the  name,  16. 


H ome  Life  in  Colonial  Days 

By  ALICE  MORSE  EARLE 
Cloth.  i2mo.  $2.50 


Boston  Herald  : 

“ A good  many  books  have  been  written  about  the  lives  and  customs  or 
our  ancestors  of  colonial  times,  and  especially  about  the  differences  between 
their  lives  and  ours  and  the  primitive  and  picturesque  utensils  which  they 
employed  in  their  households.  These  have  been  partly  the  outcome  and 
partly  the  prompting  agency  of  the  rage  for  antiques.  Various  writers  have 
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though  almost  every  hint  that  has  come  through  their  pages  goes  to  re- 
create the  atmosphere  and  reveal  the  conditions  pertaining  to  the  earliest 
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tries and  enjoyments,  of  the  Puritans  and  the  other  early  colonists  than  any 
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Philadelphia  Evening  Telegraph  : 

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“Full  of  new  information  and  description  of  surprisingly  fresh  interest 
...  no  other  single  volume  with  which  we  happen  to  be  acquainted  con- 
structs with  such  completeness,  fairness,  and  suggestiveness,  the  atmos- 
phere of  colonial  homes.” 

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“ One  of  the  handsomest  books  that  we  have  received.” 


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■STORIES  FROM  AMERICAN  HISTORY 


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YANKEE  SHIPS  AND  YANKEE  SAILORS 

TALES  OF  1812 
By  JAMES  BARNES 

Illustrated  by  R.  F.  Zogbaum  and  C.  T.  Chapman. 

44  Mr.  Barnes  knows  how  to  tell  a story  as  well  as  how  to  write  history.  His  style  is  terse  and  full 
of  movement;  his  book  one  that  old  and  young  may  read  with  zest."  — Detroit  Free  Press. 

SOUTHERN  SOLDIER  STORIES 

By  GEORGE  CARY  EGGLESTON 

Author  o/“A  Rebel's  Recollections,”  etc.,  etc . 

Illustrated  by  R.  F.  Zogbaum. 

“ Faithfully  told  stories,  bearing  every  evidence  of  absolute  truth.  . . . One’s  pulses  quicken  as  he 
becomes  acquainted  with  the  heroic  deeds  of  those  brave  Americans,  who  were  on  the  losing  side, 
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TALES  OF  THE  ENCHANTED  ISLES  OF  THE  ATLANTIC 

By  THOMAS  WENTWORTH  HIGGINSON 

Author  of  “Young  Folks'  History  of  the  United  States,”  “ Malbone,”  “ Cheerful 
Yesterdays /’  etc. 

Illustrated  by  Albert  Herter. 

Legends  with  which  the  people  of  Europe  were  for  many  centuries  fed  in  regard  to  the  countries 
beyond  the  seas  now  known  as  America.  “ No  national  history  has  been  less  prosaic  in  its  earlier 
traditions/'  says  Colonel  Higginson,  who  relates  in  a manner  which  shows  strong  sympathy  and 
learned  research,  these  wonderful  stories  which  for  a thousand  years  were  told  of  a mysterious  island 
in  the  Atlantic. 

BUCCANEERS  AND  PIRATES  OF  OUR  COASTS 

By  FRANK  R.  STOCKTON 

Author  of  “ Rudder  Grange  f etc.,  etc. 

Illustrated  by  G.  Varian  and  B.  W.  Clinedinst. 

Stories  of  the  rise  and  decline  of  buccaneering  and  piracy  in  our  West  Indian  waters.  Spanisn 
exactions  grew  so  monstrous  in  the  seventeenth  century  that  English,  French,  and  Dutch  combined 
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THE  STORY  OF  OLD  FORT  LOUDON 
A Tale  of  the  Cherokees  and  the  Pioneers  of  Tennessee,  1760 

By  CHARLES  EGBERT  CRADDOCK 

Author  of  “ Where  the  Battle  JYas  Fought ,”  etc.,  “ The  Prophet  of  the  Great 
Smoky  Mountain .” 

Illustrated  by  E.  C.  Peixotto. 

A narrative  of  the  life  of  the  pioneers  of  Tennessee  and  their  fortunes  at  the  hands  of  the  Cherokees 
in  the  uprising  of  1760.  The  brilliant  Tennessee  landscape  and  the  old  frontier  fort  serve  as  a back* 
ground  to  this  picture  of  Indian  craft  and  guile  and  pioneer  hardships  and  pleasures. 


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